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CA10 

NOTES, 



EXPLANATORY AND PRACTICAL, 



UPON THE 



INTEEH'ATKXN'AL 



SUNDAY- SCHOOL LESSONS 



FOR THE YEAS, 1876. 



BY 

REV. RUEUS W. CLARK, D.D. 



9*^ 




NEW YORK: 

DODD & MEAD, PUBLISHERS, 

751 Broadway. 

7?' 



The Lohary 

of Congress 

wAmwmm 



-? 



J,S8>° 



c* 



COPFKIGHT. 
1875. 



• AVEur, & Co 






PEEFACE. 



The design of these Notes is to present an accurate, clear, and 
condensed exposition of the International Sabbath-school Lessons 
for the year 1876. The latest and best works on biblical litera- 
ture have been consulted; and results are given, rather than the 
various opinions and discussions of scholars, which, for no other 
reason, would occupy too much space in a volume of this charac- 
ter. The commentaries and works that have been the most 
freely used are those of Jamieson, Fausset and Brown, Lange, 
Jacobus, A. Clarke, Henry, Peirce, Hackett, Kitto, and Robin- 
son. 

This volume is sent forth with the hope and prayer, that it may 
greatly aid both teachers and scholars in the study of the rich and 
important portions of God's Holy AYord, selected by the Inter- 
national Committee. As the Notes embrace the whole year, they 
afford facilities for reviewing the topics gone over, and fastening 
them in the memory, as well as retaining their influence over the 
heart and the life. 

In cases where a full understanding of the subject of the lesson 
requires a knowledge of events that precede the portion of Scrip- 



4 PREFACE. 

ture that is assigned for the class, or are intimately connected 
with it, these are presented and explained. It is interesting and 
profitable for the student to become as familiar as possible with 
what precedes and follows the lessons; and the excellent com- 
mentaries that are within the reach of many afford abundant 
facilities for this. Better than all, for a clear understanding of 
the Holy Scriptures, is the prayer offered in faith, " Open Thou 
mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law." 



CONTENTS. 



FIRST QUARTER. 

LESSOX. 

I. Saul rejected. 1 Sam. sv. 10-23 

IL David anointed Ejng. 1 Sam. xvi. 1-13 . 

III. Dayid and Goliath. 1 Sam. xvii. 38-51 . 

IV. Dayid en* the Palace. 1 Sam. xviii. 1-16 . 
V. David and Jonathan. 1 Sam. xx. 35-42 . 

YI. Dated sparing Saul. 1 Sam. xxiv. 1-16 

VJJL. Saul and his Sons slain. 1 Sam. xxxi. 1-6 

Vlll. David established Klng. 2 Sam. v. 17-25 

IX. The Ark brought to Zion. 2 Sam. vi. 1-15 

X. God's Covenant with David. 2 Sam. vi! 18 

XT. Absalom's Rebellion. 2 Sam. xv. 1-14 . 

XII. Absalom's Death. 2 Sam. xviii. 24-33 





PAGE. 


. 


. 7 


. 


11 


. 


. 14 


. 


17 


. 


. 20 


. 


23 


. 


. 26 


• 


29 


. 


. 32 


3-29 


36 


. 


. 39 


. m 


42 



SECOND QUARTER. 

I. The Ascending Lord. Acts ii. 1-12 

IL The Day of Pentecost. Acts ii. 1-11 

m. Peter's Defence. Acts ii. 12-28 .... 

IV. The Early Christian Church. Acts ii. 37-47 . 

V. The Lame Man - healed. Acts ill. 1-11 . 

VT. The Power of Jesus' Xame. Acts iii. 12-26 . 

VII. Christian Courage. Acts iv. 8-22 .... 

VLlT. Christian Fellowship. Acts iv. 23-37 

LX. Lying unto God. Acts v. 1-11 

X. The Apostles en Prison. Acts v. 12-26 . 

XI. The Apostles before the Council. Acts v. 27-42 

XII. The Seven Chosen. Acts vi. 1-15 . 

5 



45 
50 
55 
61 
65 
68 
73 
77 
81 
85 
89 
93 



CONTENTS. 



THIRD QUARTER. 

LESSON. 

I. Dated' s Charge to Solomon. 1 Chron. xxviii. 1-10 

H. Solomon's Choice. 2 Cliron. i. 1-17 

HI. Solomon's Temple. 2 Cliron. iii. 1-17 

IV. The Temple dedicated. 1 Kings viii. 5-21 

V. Solomon's Prayer. 1 Kings viii. 22-30 . 

VI. Solomon's Prosperity. 1 Kings x. 1-10 

VTL The Call of Wisdom. Prov. i. 20-33 

VHI. The Value of Wisdom. Prov. iii. 1-19 

IX. Honest Industry. Prov. vi. 6-22 . 

X. Intemperance. Prov. xxiii. 29-35 

XL The Excellent Woman. Prov. xxxi. 10-31 . 

XIL A Godly Life. Eccles. xii. 1-14 . . . . 



PAGK. 

. 97 

100 
. 103 

107 
. 110 

112 
. 116 

119 
. 122 

125 
. 127 

130 



FOURTH QUARTER, 

I. Stephen's Defence. Acts vii. 1-19 . 

H. Stephen's Defence. Acts vii. 35-50 . 

HI. Stephen's Martyrdom. Acts vii. 51-60 . 

IV. Simon the Sorcerer. Acts viii. 9-25 . 

V. Philip and the Ethiopian. Acts viii. 26-40 . 

VI. Saul's Conversion. Acts ix. 1-13 

VH. Saul's Early Ministry. Acts ix. 19-30 . 

VLLI. Dorcas restored to Ldte. Acts ix. 31-43 . 

IX. Peter's Vision. Acts x. 1-20 .... 

X. The Gentiles received. Acts x. 34-48 

XI. Spread of the Gospel. Acts xi 19-30 . 

XH. Peter's Release. Acts xii. 1-17 . 



. 133 

138 
. 143 

147 
. 152 

156 
. 161 

163 
. 166 

169 
. 172 

175 



FIEST QUAETEE. 



LESSONS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT. 



LESSON I. 



January 2, 1876. 



Satjl Ee jected. — 1 Sam. xv. 10-23. 



10. IF Then came the word of the 
Lord unto Samuel, saying, 

11. It repenteth me that I have set 
up Saul to be king: for he is turned 
back from following me. and hath not 
performed my commandments. And 
it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto 
the Lord all night. 

12. And when Samuel rose early to 
meet Saul in the morning, it was told 
Samuel, saying. Saul came to Carruel, 
and, behold, he set him up a place, and 
is gone about, and passed on, and gone 
down to Gilgal. 

13. And Samuel came to Saul : and 
Saul said unto him, Blessed be thou of 
the Lord: I have performed the com- 
mandment of the Lord. 

14. And Samuel said, "What meaneth 
then this bleating of the sheep in mine 
ears, and the lowing of the oxen which 
I hear? 

15. And Saul said, They have brought 
them from the Amalekites : for the 
people spared the best of the sheep, 
and of the oxen, to sacrifice unto the 
Lord thy God; and the rest we have 
utterly destroyed. 

16. Then Samuel said unto Saul, Stay, 
and I will tell thee what the Lord hath 
said to me this night. And he said 
unto him, Say on. 

17. And Samuel said, When thou wast 
little in thine own sight, wast thou not 



made the head of the tribes of Israel, 
and the Lord anointed thee king over 
Israel? 

18. And the Lord sent thee on a 
journey, and said, Go, and utterly de- 
stroy the sinners the Amalekites ^ and 
fight against them, until they be con- 
sumed. 

19. Wherefore then didst thou not 
obey the voice of the Lord, but did?t 
fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the 
sight of the Lord? 

20. And Saul said unto Samuel, Tea, 
I have obeyed the voice of the Lord, 
and have gone the way which the Lord 
sent me, and have brought Agag the 
king of Amalek, and have utterly de- 
stroyed the Amalekites. 

21. But the people took of the spoil, 
sheep and oxen, the chief of the things 
which should have been utterly de- 
stroyed, to sacrifice unto the Lord thy 
God in Gilgal. 

22. And Samuel said, Hath the Lord 
as great delight in burnt offerings and 
sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the 
Lord? Behold, to obey is better than 
sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat 
of rams. 

23. For rebellion is as the sin of witch- 
craft, and stubbornness is as iniquity 
and idolatry. Because thou hast re- 
jected the word of the Lord, he hath 
also rejected thee from being king. 



The subject of the closing lesson from the Old Testament, last 
year, was the advice and warning addressed by Samuel to the people 
and king of Israel. Had they heeded his words, and followed his 
pious example, all would have been well with Saul and the nation. 
But their disobedience brought upon them the calamities with which 
this lesson opens. 



8 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 

Samuel. — It is well to refresh our minds with a brief history of 
Samuel, the celebrated Hebrew prophet and judge. He was by birth 
a Levite, the son of Elkanah and Hannah. He was a child of prayer, 
and his name signifies "God hath heard." At a very early age he 
was taken to Shiloh, and grew up beside the tabernacle, under the 
care of Eli the high priest. While a youth, he received divine com- 
munications ; and his life was a beautiful illustration of early conse- 
cration and devotion to God. 

After the death of Eli, he became the acknowledged judge of Israel ; 
and by his wisdom, integrity, and high religious character, won the 
confidence and reverence of the people. Einding them in a low 
condition morally and political]}', he elevated them to a higher state 
of civilization and prosperity. He freed them from foreign yokes, 
united the twelve tribes, promoted education and the worship of 
God, and administered justice with firmness and impartiality. He 
established "the schools of the prophets," which were for a long 
time very useful. During his whole life he exerted a most beneficial 
influence upon the nation and upon Saul. He died 1053 B. C, at 
the age of ninety-eight, beloved and honored by all. 

Saul. — Our lesson presents to us the fall of a man who had every 
opportunity to become a happy and illustrious king. He was selected by 
God, out of the tribe of Benjamin, and anointed by Samuel 1091 B. C. 
He was a man of commanding appearance, full of vigor and courage, 
and, early in his reign, received special tokens of the divine favor. 
Although God disapproved of the call of the people for a king, as it 
indicated a sad want of faith in him, and ingratitude towards Samuel, 
whose administration had been so eminently successful, still he was 
ready to accede to their wishes; and, if now the king and people 
would obey his commands, he would secure to them uninterrupted 
prosperity. But Saul soon fell into a course of disobedience, and 
displayed traits of character that foreshadowed a disastrous reign. 
He failed to recognize the fact that God was still king of Israel ; that 
he was simply his lieutenant, appointed to execute the divine laws. 
After a battle with the Philistines, he ordered a sacrifice to be made 
to God without waiting for the arrival of Samuel. At that time 
Samuel said to him, " Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept 
the commandment of the Lord thy God." 

Other sins and misfortunes followed, which terminated in his re- 
jection as king, and finally in his self-destruction. 

Lessox, Ver. 10. Came the word of the Lord. — In what manner 
the Lord made kuown his will to Samuel, we are not informed. The 
Creator of the human mind knows all the avenues to it, and can 
communicate with it through mental impressions, or an audible 
voice, or in any other way he may choose. 

Ver. 11. Lt repenteth me. — When God says, " It repenteth me 
that I have set up Saul to be king," we understand, that, as Saul had 
changed in his conduct, the Lord had changed in his purpose towards 
him. Had Saul continued to obey God's commands, the kingdom 
would have been established in his family; but he repeatedly dis- 
obeyed; and God's unchangeable nature prompted him to deal 
accordingly with the king. The reason God gives is, "for he is 
turned back from following me, and hath not performed my com- 
mandments." 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS, 1876. 9 

In other instances given of God's repenting, — as, Gen. vi. 6, 7, and 
2 Sam. xxiv. 16, — we perceive a change in his conduct or purposes 
towards others. The change may be produced by different causes; 
but in all of them God is consistent with himself . He is governed by 
principles that are unchangeable. 

Ver. 12. Carmel. — A city in the south of Palestine, on a moun- 
tain bearing the same name. Here JSTabal the Carmelite, Abigail's 
husband, dwelt; and, according to Jerome, the Romans had a garrison 
there in his time. Mount Carmel, that the prophets Elijah and Elisha 
often visited, is celebrated for its vineyards and gardens, its crystal 
brooks, variegated scenery, and the enchanting views that are seen 
from its summit. 

He set him up a place. — Saul erected a trophy of his victory. 
Some say that it was a monument ; others, a triumphal arch ; others, a 
building, in the form of a hand, to signify that they overcame the Amal- 
ekites with a strong hand. The Hebrew word translated "place" 
literally means " a hand; " and probably the memorial of the victory 
was in the form of a colossal hand of stone, wood, or other durable 
material. Many such forms of the human hand exist among the 
monuments of ancient Egypt. Niebuhr says, in his description of 
Ali's mosque at Mesched Ali, that surmounting the dome, instead 
of a crescent, there is a hand extended to represent that of Ali. The 
same symbol is on the top of the Alhambra, the palace of the Moorish 
kings of Grenada. The erection of this vain-glorious trophy was an 
additional act of disobedience." — Jamieson. 

Is gone about, and passed on. — Moving in a pompous procession, as 
a mighty conqueror, to gratify his pride, may be the meaning of this 
passage. 

Gilgal. — A celebrated place between the Eiver Jordan and the city 
of Jericho, where the Israelites first encamped after the passage of that 
river, and where they set up the twelve stones brought from the 
river's bed. Here they were circumcised, and kept the first passover 
in Canaan. A permanent military camp was established by Joshua 
while he was engaged in subduing the land. For centuries it was the 
great gathering-place of the tribes ; and here the tabernacle rested 
until it was moved to Shiloh. Here Saul was crowned. 

Vers. 13, 14. And Samuel came to Saul, &c. — It is difficult to 
determine from this language the feelings of Saul in meeting Samuel. 
He may have expected the congratulations and commendation of the 
prophet for his course of conduct and success. Or, conscious of 
having done wrong, he may have sought, by his respectful address to 
Samuel, to conciliate his good-will, and avert any evil consequences. 
But Samuel, without stopping to exchange salutations even with a 
king, directs his attention to the proofs of his disobedience. 

Ver. 15. The people spared the best of the sheep. — If Saul was the 
commander of the people, they could not have done this without his 
authority or sanction. This excuse therefore fails him. 

Vers. 16-19. Then Samuel said unto Said, &c. — The wisdom of 
Samuel is very apparent, in the manner in which he puts this case 
before the king. He desires that Saul may himself see his conduct in 
its true light, — see his own ingratitude and folly in disobeying God, 
who had taken him from a humble condition, and elevated him to the 
honorable position of king over Israel. Instead of obeying the divine 



10 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 

command, and destroying " the sinners the Amalekites," the prophet 
says to him, "Wherefore didst thou fly upon the spoil, and didst evil 
in the sight of the Lord ? " Was the spoil more to thee than the 
approbation of Jehovah ? Were oxen and sheep to be set against 
the terrible consequences of evil done in the very sight of the 
Lord? 

Vers. 20, 21. And Saul said to Samuel, &c. — While Saul takes 
to himself the credit of the victory over the Amalekites, he lays the 
blame of sparing the oxen and sheep upon the people. Or, if his 
object is to excuse them, it is not so clear that they were all reserved 
to sacrifice to the Lord. There is certainly the appearance of covet- 
ousness underlying the whole transaction. It is not usual for men 
to be influenced by religious motives when disobeying the direct 
commands of God. 

Veb. 22. And Samuel said, &c. — At a single stroke Samuel 
demolishes the profferred excuse of the king He breaks in pieces the 
shell, and reveals the substance of religion. He appeals to the reason 
and judgment of Saul himself: " Hath the Lord as great delight in 
burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord ? " 
What is the end of religious rites and sacrifices but to secure obedience 
to the will of God ? 

Yee. 23. Bebellion is as the sin of witchcraft. — The judge sums up 
the case in a very brief manner, and pronounces the verdict. We may 
see in this interview the qualities of Samuel as a judge : his clear 
apprehension of the chief points in the case, his sound common- 
sense, his impartial justice, his absolute adherence to the line of 
right, and the recognized supremacy of his relations and duties to 
God over all other interests. The rebellion and stubbornness of the 
king are classed with the sins of witchcraft and idolatry, and deserve 
the punishment due to them. "Assuming," says Jamieson, "there 
was teraphim in Saul's family (ch. xix. 13), and that Saul knew it, 
these words have a point and significance that must have been deeply 
felt." 

He hath also rejected thee from being king. — Saul having rejected 
God, the kingdom is taken away from his family, though he continues 
upon the throne till his death. 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS, 1876. 



n 



LESSON II. —January 9. 



David anointed King. — 1 Sam. xvi. 1-13. 



1. And the Lord said unto Samuel, 
How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, 
seeing I have rejected him from reign- 
ing over Israel ? lill thine horn with oil, 
and go, I will send thee to Jesse the 
Beth-lehemite : for I have provided me 
a king among Ms sons. 

2. And Samuel said. How can I go ? 
if Saul hear it, he will kill me. And 
the Lord said, Take an heifer with thee, 
and say, I am come to sacrifice to the 
Lord. 

3. And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and 
I will show thee what thou shalt do: 
and thou shalt anoint unto me him 
whom I name unto thee. 

4. And Samuel did that which the 
Lord spake, and came to Beth-lehem. 
And the elders of the town trembled at 
his coming, and said, Comest thou 
peaceably ? 

5. And he said, Peaceably: I am come 
to sacrifice unto the Lord: sanctify 
yourselves, and come with me to the 
sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and 
his sons, and called them to the sacri- 
fice. 

6. IT And it came to pass, when they 
were come, that he looked on Eliab, and 
said, Surely the Lord's anointed is be- 
fore him. 

7 But the Lord said unto Samuel, 
Look not on his countenance, or on the 



height of his stature; because I have 
refused him : for the Lord seeth not as 
man seeth ; for man looketh on the out- 
ward appearance, but the Lord looketh 
on the heart. 

8. Then Jesse called Abinadab, and 
made him pass before Samuel. And he 
said, Neither hath the Lord chosen this. 

9. Then Jesse made Shammah to pass 
by. And he said, Neither hath the 
Lord chosen this. 

10. Again, Jesse made seven of his 
sons to pass before Samuel. And Sam- 
uel said unto Jesse, The Lord hath not 
chosen these. 

11. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are 
hore all thy ckddren ? And he said, 
There remaineth yet the youngest, and, 
behold, he keepeth the sheep. And 
Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch 
him: for we will not sit down till he 
come hither. 

12. And he sent, and brought him in. 
Now he was ruddy, and withal of a 
beautiful countenance, and goodly to 
look to. And the Lord said, Arise, 
anoint him : for this is he. 

13. Then Samuel took the horn of oil, 
and anointed him in the midst of his 
brethren; and the Spirit of the Lord 
came upon David from that day for- 
ward. So Samuel rose up, and went to 
Baniah. 



Although the government of Israel was changed by the introduc- 
tion of kings, still Samuel remained in power as G-od's prophet. He 
also exerted a wide and beneficial influence over the whole people. As 
the medium between the heavenly King, and the people of Israel, he 
is now called to another important duty. 

Vee. 1. Hoio long icilt thou mourn for Saul? — While Samuel most 
rigidly obeyed God's commands, he still entertained a deep interest in 
the welfare of Saul. His friendship for him was sincere, generous, 
and constant. He had, doubtless, earnestly prayed for his forgiveness 
and restitution. But as God had decreed to take from him the king- 
dom of Israel, and give it to another, it was not proper that Samuel 
should allow his private feelings to interfere with his public duties as 
a prophet. The welfare of the nation required the early designation 
of one to fill the throne, as the sudden death of Saul might be pro- 
ductive of disturbances and disastrous consequences. 

Fill thine horn with oil. — Among the ancient nations, horns were 
generally used as drinking-vessels, and to hold ointments, perfumes, 
&c. Samuel was commanded to fill his with oil, for the purpose of 
anointing a new king. 



12 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 

I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite. — " The genealogy of Jesse 
is traced to Boaz (Ruth iv. 18^21). But the object was merely to prove 
that he was a link in the Messianic chain of descent ; and it is left 
quite unknown, whether Jesse was the eldest of Obed and Boaz's 
family, the heir of that wealthy proprietor, or the youngest son. That 
he was comparatively a poor man, has been inferred from his having 
a small flock under the care of one shepherd only, his youngest son. 
At the same time, he seems to have been a man of note in the village, 
esteemed for his piety and general worth of character." — Jamieson. 

I have provided me a king. — Before, the people had a man of their 
choice, although selected by the prophet, whose external qualities 
commended him to public favor, and who was given to them in 
response to their sinful desires. Xow God designates one after his 
own heart, selecting him from the most highly honored tribe (Gen. 
xlix. 10.) 

Yer. 2. Say, I am come to sacrifice. — As all the ritual laws were 
subject to the prophets, Samuel could sacrifice anywhere ; and, while 
it was true that he did offer a sacrifice, it was not necessary to men- 
tion the chief object of his journey, especially as information on that 
point might defeat it. Besides, through this measure, the elders, and 
Jesse and his sons, were called together ; and thus the selection of the 
new king was accomplished. The truth is to be told at all times, as 
it was in this case. One is not obliged, under all circumstances, to 
tell the whole truth ; though he must state only the truth. 

Yer. 4. The elders of the town trembled at his coming. — Though 
they probably went out to meet him, yet they feared, lest, as God's 
prophet, Samuel had come to announce the judgments of heaven on 
account of the sins of the people. " The inhabitants of this place 
have long been proverbial for their refractory spirit; and even in mod- 
ern times they have been often at variance with the reigning powers." 

Yer. 5. Sanctify yourselves. — To sanctify, signifies, to consecrate, 
or set apart from a secular to a religious use. Here it means, to 
change their raiment, cleanse their bodies, and prepare their minds, by 
meditation and prayer, to offer an acceptable sacrifice to God. 

Yer. 6. Wlien they were come, — to the feast that followed the 
sacrifice. In all cases, except in the whole burnt offering, it was cus- 
tomary to pour out the blood of the victim to God, burn the fat, and 
then feast on the flesh. At this time, before sitting down to the feast, 
Samuel doubtless communicated to Jesse the commission he had 
received from the Lord; and arrangements were made to have his 
sons called before him. 

Yers. 6, 7. Surely the Lord's anointed is before him. — Although 
Samuel knew that he must be guided in his selection by directions 
from God, still he is so impressed with the external appearance 
and apparent qualifications of Eliab, that he decides at once in his 
favor. But his error is soon corrected by Him "who looketh on the 
heart." "What an impressive lesson we have here, npon the small 
value of mere external advantages, and the infinite importance of 
having the heart right in the sight of a holy God ! What honors, what 
far-reaching influences, await the son, in this family, whose heart 
God can view with approbation ! 

Yers. 8-10. Seven of his sons. — Seven called, and no one of them 
chosen! Many are called to be kings and priests unto God, who, on 
account of some moral defect, are not chosen. 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS, 1876. 13 

Ver. 11. He keepeth the sheep. — The youngest, then about fifteen 
years old, was not at home. How unconscious he was of what was 
going on, or of the destiny that awaited him ! 

Ver. 12. He ivas ruddy. — He had golden locks, or his hair was red ; 
which, in ancient times, was accounted beautiful. His countenance 
and demeanor indicated the sweetness of his disposition, and the 
purity of his heart. 

Ver. 13. Anointed him. — David was not at this time vested with 
kingly authority; but the anointing was a designation of him to 
succeed Saul. 

The Spirit of the Lord came upon David. — God qualified him for the 
high and responsible position before him, by giving him wisdom, cour- 
age, prudence, and magnanimity. While tending his sheep, God pre- 
pared him to be an illustrious ruler of his people. 

Ramah. — A city on Mount Ephraim, the place of Samuel's birth, 
residence, and burial. It is considered by some as identical with 
Arimathea of the New Testament. There are several cities of this 
name. 



14 



EXPLANATORY NOTES. 



LESSON III.— January 16. 



David axd Goliath. — 1 Sam. xvii. 38-51. 



38. And Saul armed David with his 
armor, and he put a helmet of brass 
upon his head ; also he armed him with 
a coat of mail. 

39. And David girded his sword upon 
his armor, and he assayed to go ; for he 
had not proved it. And David said unto 
Saul, I cannot go with these ; for I have 
not proved them. And David put them 
off him. 

40. And he took his staff in his hand, 
and chose 1dm live smooth stones out of 
the brook, and put them in a shepherd's 
bng which he had. even in a scrip; and 
his sling was in his hand: and he drew 
near to the Philistine. 

41. And the Philistine came on and 
drew near unto David; and the man that 
bare the shield went before him. 

42. And when the Philistine looked 
about, and saw David, he disdained 
him ; for he was but a youth, and ruddy, 
and of a fair countenance. 

43. And the Philistine said unto David, 
Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with 
staves? And the Philistine cursed David 
by his gods. 

44. And the Philistine said to David, 
Come to me, and I will give thy flesh 
unto the fowls of the air, and to the 
beasts of the field. 

45. Then said David to the Philistine, 
Thou comest to me with a sword, and 
with a spear, and with a shield: but I 
come to thee in the name of the Lord 



of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, 
whom thou hast defied. 

4G. This day will the Lord deliver thee 
into mine hand; and I wUl smite thee, 
and take thine head from thee ; and I 
will give the carcasses of the host of the 
Philistines this day unto the fowls of the 
air. and to the wild beasts of the earth; 
that all the earth may know that there 
is a God in Israel. 

47. And all this assembly shall know 
that the Lord saveth not with sword and 
spear : for the battle is the Lord's, and 
he will give you into our hands. 

48. And it came to pass when the Phil- 
istine arose, and came, and drew nigh 
to meet David, that David hasted, and 
ran toward the army to meet the Philis- 
tine. 

49. And David put his hand in his bag, 
and took thence a stone, and slang it, 
and smote the Philistine in his forehead, 
that the stone sunk into his forehead; 
and he fell upon Iris face to the earth. 

50. So David prevailed over the Philis- 
tine with a sling and with a stone, and 
smote the Philistine, and slew him; but 
there was no sword in the hand of David. 

51. Therefore David ran, and stood 
upon the Philistine, and took his sword, 
and drew it out of the sh'iath thereof, and 
slew him, and cut oil" his head therewith. 
And when the Philistines saw their 
champion was dead, they tied. 



Although David had been anointed king, and Samuel had an- 
nounced to Saul that God had rejected him as king, still Saul con- 
tinued the ruler of Israel until his death. He was rejected as the 
founder of a royal dynasty ; and, in this sense, the kingdom was taken 
from him. 

After the Spirit of the Lord had been given to David, it departed 
from Saul ; and, left to himself, he was greatly troubled. The youth- 
ful David ministered to him with his harp, and refreshed his agitated 
and weary spirit. 

An opportunity occurs that brings out the military qualities of this 
attractive, skilful, and noble youth, at this time a great favorite with 
Saul. With the Philistines, Saul had been continually at war. This 
celebrated people, who inhabited the southern seacoast of Canaan, 
were powerful in the time of Abraham (1900 B.C.), and had their 
kings, and cities of considerable size. Though they were not included 
among the nations of Canaan, devoted to extermination, still Joshua 
attacked them by the command of the Lord. They continued, how- 
ever, strong, under their kings and lords, in the times of the judges, 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS, 187G. 15 

during the reign of Saul, and at the beginning of the reign of David. 
Victories were gained over them with great slaughter, hy Shamgar, 
Samson, Samuel, and Saul; but it was reserved for David to destroy 
their independence, and bring them into subjection to the kings of 
Judah. His first encounter with them is presented to us in this 
lesson. 

The Philistines had gathered their forces between Shochoh and 
Azekah, which lay about five leagues south of Jerusalem, and to the 
west of Bethlehem. ]STot far from them, the men of Israel pitched by 
the valley of Elah. A challenge is sent forth by Goliath, which David 
accepts. This scene reveals the moral qualities that have rendered 
the name of David illustrious and immortal. 

Yer. 38. Saul armed David. — Saul has been accustomed to put his 
trust in armor; and David, though putting his trust in the Lord, is 
ready to employ all the natural means to secure success. 

Ver. 39. I have not £>roved them. — It required much training for a 
person to use such heavj- armor with skill ; and, to one not accustomed 
to it, it would only be an encumbrance. David, therefore, lays it 
aside, saying, "I cannot go with these." 

Ver. 40. He took his staff, — his shepherd's crook, also five smooth 
stones in a shepherd's bag which he had, and a sling. These weapons 
seem very simple, especially in contrast with the massive armor of his 
antagonist. But among ancient nations the sling was really a power- 
ful offensive weapon. Livy and others speak of slingers who could 
hit a mark at a very great distance, particularly the Phoenicians, to 
whom the invention of the sling is ascribed ; and the Balleares, or 
inhabitants of the islands of Majorca and Minorca. The latter had 
three slings of different lengths, to reach different distances. Stones 
could be thrown four hundred feet, and leaden bullets six hundred feet. 

The Greeks, Persians, and Hebrews used this weapon with remark- 
able force and precision ; and David was certainly an expert marks- 
man. He had an advantage over Goliath of which the giant was not 
aware; and his promptness in using it enabled him to strike the first 
blow, before any of the powerful weapons of his adversary could be 
used. 

He drew near to the Philistine. — Thus he manifested his personal 
courage, and his strong faith in God. 

Ver. 42. The Philistine disdained him. — He saw before him a fair, 
and apparently effeminate youth, without any armor ; and he held in 
contempt such a foe. 

Yer. 43. Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? — We 
need not be surprised at the giant's indignation when his eye caught 
the shepherd's crook, without probably seeing the sling that might 
have been coiled up in David's hand. 

The Philistine cursed David by his gods. — He invoked the curses of 
his gods upon him. Such a parley as this was quite in keeping with 
the military custom of the times. Combatants, like the heroes of 
Homer, would indulge in bitter invective, and sometimes in angry 
discussions, before coming to blows. 

Yer. 44. I will give thy flesh to the fowls of the air. — You are a foe 
so weak and contemptible, that, if you come to me, I will at once 
tear you in pieces, and fling your flesh to the fowls of the air and to 
the beasts' of the field. Your destruction will be instantaneous and 
complete. 



16 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 

Yer. 45-47. Thou comest to me with a sword, &c. — Nothing can 
exceed the humility, courage, and faith in God, displayed iii this 
sublime speech. The whole scene is one of the most thrilling and 
instructive to be found in the Scriptural records. The hosts of two 
armies are looking with intense interest upon the forms of two men 
approaching each other for deadly conflict. It is morally certain 
that one must die. It seems certain that the youth of twenty-two or. 
twenty-three years of age, with no visible armor, must soon be de- 
spatched by the heavily-armed giant. David is fully apprised of the 
circumstances that surround him, and of the momentous responsi- 
bilities and consequences of the step he has taken. There are no 
signs of rashness or self-seeking in his movements. The principle 
that sustains and inspires him is trust in God. Against the sword 
and spear and shield of the confident and haughty Philistine, he 
places simply his coming in the name of the Lord of hosts. He has 
here a triple assurance of victory. First, coming in the name of the 
Lord, is coming in his power. Second, he comes in the name or power 
of the God of the armies of Israel. Pie knows that the Protector of 
these armies will protect him. Third, the God "whom thou hast 
defied : " God will vindicate himself against the indignity cast upon his 
holy and omnipotent name. So certain is David of success, that, in 
this opening speech, he ascribes the glory of the achievement to God. 
" The battle is the Lord's," and he will conquer; "that all the earth 
may know that there is a God in Israel." 

Yer. 49. Smote the Philistine in his forehead. — While the body of 
Goliath was protected by heavy armor, his face may have been ex- 
posed, as ancient helmets do not appear to have had any covering for 
the face. Some writers suppose that the helmet did cover the fore- 
head ; and that the stone passed through it, and sank into the fore- 
head. This is not improbable, when we consider the great force with 
which stones and bullets were flung from the sling. It is said that 
the Balleares, in time of war, when attacking fortified towns, "griev- 
ously wound the besieged ; and break in pieces the shields, helmets, 
and every species of armor by which the body is defended. They are 
such exact marksmen, that they scarcely ever miss that at which they 
aim." This perfection is attained by constant practice from child- 
hood, — the mother often putting a piece of bread at the top of a pole, 
and the child made to fast until he hit it ; when it was given to him 
to eat. 

It has been said, that the stone from David's sling was directed by 
a divine hand. While it is true that God directs all events, we do not 
deem it necessary to regard this, as coming under the head of the 
supernatural or miraculous. 

Yer. 51. And took his sword . . . and slew him. — Though the stone 
stunned and prostrated Goliath, life may not have been extinct when 
David stood upon him. Therefore he drew the giant's sword, and 
despatched him with his own weapon. 

When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled. — ■ 
Panic-struck, they rushed hastily from the field. Powerful as the 
Philistines were, with the consciousness of past success, they could 
not stand for a moment against the God of Israel. The men of Israel 
and of Judah seized the advantage thus afforded them, and obtained 
over the enemy a complete victory. 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS, 187G. 



17 



LESSON IV.— Jaxuaky 23. 



DAYLD EN" THE PALACE. — 1 Sa^L xviii. 1-16. 



1. And it came to pass, when he made i 
an end of speaking unto Said, that the ; 
soul of Jonathan was knit with the soid '■ 
of David, and Jonathan loved him as his 
own soul. 

2. And Saul took him that day, and 
would let him go no more home to his 
father's house. 

3. Then Jonathan and David made a 
covenant, because he loved him as his 
own soul. 

4. And Jonathan stripped himself of 
the robe that was upon him, and gave it 
to David, and his garment?, even to his 
sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle. 

5. M And David went out whitherso- 
ever Saul sent bim. and behaved him- 
self wisely: and Saul set him over the 
men of war, and he was accepted in the 
sight of all the people, and also in the 
sight of Saul's servants. 

6. And it came to pass as they came, 
when David was returned from the 
slaughter of the Philistine, that the wo- 
men came out of all cities of Israel, sing- 
ing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with 
tabrets. with joy, and with instruments 
of music. 

7. And the women answered one an- 
other '.as they played, and said. Saul hath 
slain his thousands, and David his ten 
thousands. 

8. And Saul was very wroth, and the 



saying displeased him. and he said. They 
have ascribed unto David ten thousands, 
and to me they have ascribed but thou- 
sands : and lohat can he have more, but 
the kingdom? 

9. And Said eyed David from that day, 
and forward. 

10. IT And it came to pass on the mor- 
row, that the evil spirit from God came 
upon Saul, and he prophesied in the 
midst of the house: and David played 
with his hand, as at other times: and 
there was a javelin in Saul's hand. 

11. And Saul cast the javelin; for he 
said, I will smite David even to the wall 
with it. And David avoided out of his 
presence twice. 

12. IT And Saul was afraid of David, 
because the Lord was with him, and 
was departed from Saul. 

13. Therefore Saul removed him from 
him. and made him his captain over a 
thousand; and he went out and came in 
before the people. 

14. And David behaved himself wisely 
in all his ways ; and the Lord was with 
him. 

15. Wherefore when Saul saw that he 
behaved himself very wisely, he was 
afraid of him. 

1G. But all Israel and Judah loved Da- 
vid, because he went out and came in 
before them. 



Yee. 1. Jonathan was the eldest son of Saul, and one of the love- 
liest characters presented in the Old Testament. The friendship 
between him and David was pure, ardent, and constant. It was awak- 
ened by David's heroism, modesty, piety, and manly virtues. It is 
remarkable when we consider that Jonathan was aware of the fact 
that David had been anointed king, and that thus he was excluded 
from the throne. 

Yepv. 2. David is received into the palace, apparently under the 
favor of the king. 

Yee. 3. Covenant. — A contract by which they bound themselves to 
a mutual and lasting friendship. Such covenants of brotherhood are 
common in the East. 

Yee. 4. Jonathan stripped himself. — In Eastern countries it is cus- 
tomary to make presents of robes and clothing, as tokens of respect 
and friendship. Among warriors arms are given, as well as clothing. 
In this case, the numerous gifts of Jonathan, including his sword, 
bow, and girdle, as well as his robe and garments, show how great are 
the honors he desires to confer upon David. 

Yee. 5. David behaved himself wisely. — His position was certainly 



18 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 

one that required great discretion, and it appears that his caution and 
prudence were equal to his courage. Before the king, with Jonathan 
the heir apparent of the throne, and mingling with the people, he 
acted with the greatest wisdom. 

Saul set him over the men of war, made him field-marshal. As a 
military commander, he was universally popular. Abner was chief 
in command. 

Yee. 0. When David was returned from the slaughter of the Philis- 
tine. — The first five verses of this chapter are omitted in the Septua- 
gint; and this verse properly follows the close of the preceding chap- 
ter, making an unbroken narrative. 

Women came out of all cities. — It was the professional business of 
certain women to celebrate victories by singing and playing upon 
musical instruments, while marching in triumphal procession. The 
victory of David was an occasion of general rejoicing, and was natu- 
rally celebrated with great enthusiasm ; though it was indiscreet to 
bestow such praise upon a subject, at the expense of the sovereign. 

Yee. 7. David his tens of thousands. — By slaying Goliath he had 
caused the flight of the hosts of the Philistines, and great slaughter. 
Saul had been victorious in his battles ; but David had confronted 
larger numbers, and his success was the more conspicuous. 

Yee. 9. Saul eyed David. — He viewed him with a jealous eye, 
because of the praises bestowed upon him. He feared that David 
might be disposed to make himself at once a king. 

Yee. 10. The evil spirit from God came upon Saul. — God permitted 
an evil spirit to come to him. " Whether this was a diabolic posses- 
sion, or a mere mental malady, the learned are not agreed ; it seems to 
have partaken of both. That Saul had fallen into a deep melancholy, 
there is little doubt ; that the Devil might work more effectually upon 
such a state of mind, there can be but little question." 

He prophesied in the midst of the house. — Under the influence of 
the evil spirit within him, he uttered incoherent imprecations, or a sort 
of demoniacal predictions. He may have pretended to have been pray- 
ing, or to have been under strong religious emotions, to conceal his 
purpose to murder David. The exact meaning of the words it is diffi- 
cult to reach. 

Yee. 11. Saul cast the javelin. — The javelin, or spear, being the 
emblem of regal authority, a king always had one at hand. On an- 
cient monuments they are represented with one. As spears were the 
emblems of supreme power, they were, in the minds of the people, 
associated with divinity, and were worshipped as representing the 
gods. 

The power of jealousy is seen in Saul's purpose to kill David in the 
presence of his courtiers, and while David was serving him. 

Yee. 13. Made him his captain. — Saul pretended to honor him, 
while, in fact, he wished to get rid of the object of his hatred and 
envy. He may have hoped that David would be killed in some expe- 
dition, or that he might have him privately murdered. Saul seems 
to have utterly forgotten his God, and is under the fatal delusion that 
the destruction of his divinely appointed successor will benefit him. 

Yee. 14. David behaved himself wisely in all his ways. — He had 
the wisdom to conduct himself with discretion in all the relations, 
circumstances, and emergencies of life ; certainly a rare gift. 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS, 1876. 19 

Ver. 15. Lie was afraid of him. — Saul feared a man whose mind 
was so well balanced, who was so true to duty amid the various temp- 
tations and trials that surrounded him, and who was so evidently 
under the protection and guidance of the Almighty. 

Ver. 16. Because he went out and came in before them. — The 
meaning, as in other similar passages, is, that he ruled, and managed 
affairs, with such success that all the people loved him. 



20 



EXPLANATORY NOTES. 



LESSON V. — January 30. 



David and Jonathan. — 1 Sam. xx. 35-42. 



35. IT And it came to pass in the morn- 
ing, that Jonathan went out into the 
field, at the time appointed with David, 
and a little lad with him. 

36. And he said unto his lad. Run, find 
out now the arrows which I shoot. And 
as the lad ran, he shot an arrow beyond 
him. 

37. And when the lad was come to the 
place of the arrow which Jonathan had 
shot, Jonathan cried after the lad. and 
said, Is not the arrow beyond thee ? 

38. And Jonathan cried after the lad, 
Make speed, haste, stay not. And Jon- 
athan's lad gathered up the arrows, and 
came to his master. 

39. But the lad knew not any thing : 



only Jonathan and David knew the 
matter. 

40. And Jonathan gave his artillery 
unto his lad, and said unto him, Go, 
carry them to the city. 

41. IT And as soon as the lad was gone. 
David arose out of a place toward the 
south, and fell on his face to the ground, 
and bowed himself three times : and they 
kissed one another, and wept one with 
another, until David exceeded. 

42. And Jonathan said to David, Go in 
peace, forasmuch as we have sworn both 
of us in the name of the Lord, saying : 
Trie Lord be between me and thee, and 
between my seed and thy seed forever. 
And he arose and departed : and Jona- 
than went into the city. 



Nowhere do we find the elements of true friendship more forcibly 
and beautifully brought out than in the feelings that Jonathan enter- 
tained towards David. The more David is persecuted by the cruel 
and relentless king, the warmer is Jonathan's affection for him. The 
contrast between the father and the son is most marked; and we 
scarcely know which is more remarkable, the intensity of Saul's envy, 
or the utter absence of it from the mind of Jonathan. If either 
could, in any degree, be justified in entertaining this feeling, it would 
certainly be Jonathan, the heir-apparent to the throne; for the 
crowning of David dissipates all his hopes of royalty, and takes from 
him a kingdom that would have been his, but for the disobedience, 
pride, and folly of his father. Still we discover, burning in his soul, 
nothing but the pure flame of love for David. Contemplating his 
own character, he might, without impropriety, have noticed qualities, 
conspicuous to others, that would have made him a good and success- 
ful king. But we discover in his conduct nothing for himself, but 
every thing for David. His courage, his forethought, his wisdom in 
planning, are all employed in the interests of his friend. 

In the realm of friendship, we hail him king, and all the world bow 
to his royalty in this department. If he lost one crown, he gained 
another that is immortal. To-day the golden sceptre in his hand, and 
the beautiful features of his friendship, are recognized by hundreds 
of thousands of youth throughout Christendom ; and a new wave of 
his benign influence rolls over the earth. 

To fully understand the lesson, we need to glance, at least, over the 
entire chapter. It opens (1 Sam. xx. 1-4) with new proofs of Jona- 
than's love. His position in the court gives him advantages in know- 
ing the feelings of his father, and giving warning to David, that he is 
ready to use to the utmost extent. 

David, in order to preserve his life, finds it necessary to hide himself 
from the king. A plan is formed (1 Sam. xx. 18-22) by which Jona- 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS, 1876. 21 

than is to communicate with David, and let him know whether it will 
be safe for him to return to the palace. 

Among the evidences that Jonathan knew that the Lord had ap- 
pointed David to the kingdom, is the expression in the 13th verse, 
" The Lord be with thee, as he hath been with my father." 

On the second day of the month (ver. 27) David is missed from the 
king's table, and inquiries are made for him. Jonathan informs his 
father that he asked leave to go to Bethlehem, to a family sacrifice. 
Saul, in his rage (ver. 30), pours forth upon Jonathan a volley of 
bitter denunciation mingled with the meanest sarcasm. He makes a 
revelation of his own weakness and malevolence that is disgusting to 
all around him. 

"Saul," says one, "was not angry with his wife: it was the son 
alone upon whom he meant, by this style of address, to discharge his 
resentment ; and the principle upon which it is founded seems to be, 
that, to genuine filial instinct, it is a more inexpiable offence to hear 
the name or character of a parent traduced than any personal 
reproach. In every Eastern family, the great object of respect and 
devotion is the mother. There are familiar expressions that show 
this very strongly. 'Pull my father's beard, but do not speak ill of 
my mother.' 'Strike me, but do not curse my mother.' This was, 
undoubtedly, one cause of the ' fierce anger ' (ver. 31) in which the 
high-minded prince left the table without tasting a morsel." 

Yee. 35. Jonathan went out into the field at the time appointed. It 
had been arranged that David should hide himself " by the stone Ezel 
(ver. 19) when the business was in hand;" that is, when the sign 
fixed upon was given. For three days he was to tarry with his family 
at Bethlehem, or wherever he found it convenient. Near this stone 
he was to conceal himself in some cave or hiding-place. 

Yees. 36-38. He shot an arrow beyond him. It had been arranged, 
that, if the arrow was shot beyond the lad, this was to indicate the 
displeasure of the king, and the consequent danger to David. The 
cries of' Jonathan to the lad were designed for the ear of David. 
There was danger, and he must flee. 

Yee. 40. Gave him his artillery ; i. e., " his missile weapons. The 
French word ' artillerie ' signifies archery ; and the term is still used 
in England, in the designation of ' the Artillery Company of London,' 
the association of archers, though they have long disused bows and 
arrows." — Jamieson. 

Yee. 40. Bowed himself three times. A token of homage from 
David to the prince's rank. 

Kissed one another, and toept. Their affection was never more pure 
and ardent than at this critical hour. 

David exceeded. His distress was the greatest, because, besides 
parting from his friend Jonathan, he must leave his family, the people 
of Grod, and the ordinances of religion. 

Yee. 42. Go in peace. These two souls were united by the noblest 
sentiments, the warmest sympathies, and especially by love and rever- 
ence for God. They desire that their friendship may be cemented by 
divine influences, and transmitted to their posterity. 

He arose and departed. David wisely determined to flee from the 
storm, rather than to face it. Such was his popularity, that he could 
easily have raised forces with which to resist Saul, and put an end to 



22 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 

his persecutions. But he preferred to leave the whole case in the 
hands of GW)d ; and his ruling desire was to follow the divine will. 
He who runs before he is sent runs without divine light and strength. 
" Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him. . . . For evil-doers 
shall be cut off ; but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit 
the earth (Ps. xxxvii. 7, 9). 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS, 1876. 



23 



LESSOX VI.— February 6, 



David sparing Saul. — 1 Sam. xxi v. 1-16. 



1. And it came to pass, when Saul was 
returned from following the Philistines. 
that it was told him, saying. Behold, 
David is in the wilderness of Ln-gedi. 

2. Then Saul took three thousand 
chosen men out of all Israel, and n1 
I ;■ - : ek David and his men upon the 
rocks of the wild goats. 

3. And he came to the sheepcc ! 
the way. where was a cave: and Saul 
went in to cover his feet : and David and 
his men remained in the sides of the 
cave. 

4. And the men of David said unto 
him. Behold the day of which the Lord 
said unto thee. Behold. I will deliver 
thine enemy into thine hand, that thou 
mayest do to hirn as it shall seem good 
unto thee. Then David arose, and cut 
oft the skirt of Saul's robe privily. 

5. And it came to pass afterward, that 
David's heart smote him, because he 
had cat off Saul's skirt. 

6. And he said unto his men. The 
Lord forbid that I should do this thhig 
unto my master, the Lord's anoint 
stretch forth mine hand against him. 
seeing he is the anointed of the L: : L 

J. So David stayed his servants with 
these words, and suffered them not to 
vainst Sanl But Said rose up out 
of the cave, and went on his way. 

B. David also arose afterward, and 
went out of the cave, and cried after 
Said, s ying, My lord the king. And 
when Saul looked behind him. David 
stooped with his face to the earth, and 
bowed himself. 



. *~ And David said to Saul. "\i\~here- 
Eore I- ear est thou men's words, saying, 
Behold. David seeketh thy hurt? 

10. Behold, this day thine eyes have 
seen how that the Lord had delivered 
thee to-day into mine hand in the cave : 
and some bade me kill thee : but mine eye 
spared thee : and I said. I will not put 
forth mine hand i gainst my Lord; for 
he is the Lord's anointed. 

11. Moreover, my father, see. yea. see 
the skirt oi thy robe in my hand : for in 
that I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and 
killed thee not. know thou and see that 
there is neither evil nor trans session hi 
mine hand, and I have not sinned 
against thee ; yet thou huntest my soul 
to take it. 

12. The Lord judge between me and 
thee, and the Lord avenge me of thee ; 
but mine hand shall not 1 3 a] : n :'iee. 

13. As saith the proverb of the an- 
cients. Wickedness proceedeth from the 
wicked: but mine hand shall not be 
upon thee. 

li. After whom is the king of Israel 
come out? after whom dost "thou pur- 
rater a dead dog. after a flea. 

15. The Lord therefore be judge, and 
judge between me and thee, and see. 
and plead my cause, and deliver me out 
of thine hand. 

16. M And it came to pass, when David 
had made an end of speaking these 
words unto Saul, that S 1 sai ". Ts this 
thy voice, my son David? And Saul 
lifted up his voice, and wept. 



Leaving Jonathan. David becomes a fugitive and an exile. He 
journeyed westward, and first took refuge with the priest Ahimelech, 
at Xob. who supplied him with provisions, and furnished him ¥ 
the sword of Goliath, that as a trophy had been deposited in tbe 
tabernacle (xxi. 1-9). For this Saul visited Ahimelech and the 
town of Xob with terrible vengeance, causing the massacre of eighty- 
five priests, and putting to death all the inhabitants of the town, with 
their cattle and sheep (1 Sam. xxii. IS. 19). 

Leaving Xob, David fled to Achish, king of Gath. Here, being 
detected by the servants of Achish, as the conqueror of Goliath, he 
feigned madness, and thus escaped with his life (xxi. 10-15). 

Thence he returned to Judaea ; and his first retreat was the cave of 
Adullam. Here his relatives, and distressed and discontented persons, 
came to him; and he became the captain of about four hundred 
adherents (xxii. 1, 2). Having taken his father and mother to 



24 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 

Moab for security, he returned, and came into the forest of Hareth 
(xxii. 3-5). At Hareth he received valuable re-enforcements 
(1 Chron. xii. 16). While here, the Philistines made an attack upon 
the border town Keilah. for the purpose of carrying off their harvests. 
David, with about six hundred followers, routed them, delivered the 
city, and shut themselves up within its walls. Thus David, notwith- 
standing the murderous hate of the king, was ready to march against 
the enemies of his country, exhibiting a patriotic ardor which tended 
to increase the regard and admiration of the people for him (xxiii. 
1-5). 

Saul, hearing that David was at Keilah, gathered his forces to take 
him ; but he escaped from the city, and went, with a few friends, to 
the wilderness of Ziph, where he sought safety in the caves and 
woods (xxiii. 13-15). Now, in his own touching words, "he was 
hunted as a partridge on the mountains." 

In the wilderness of Maon, David and his small band were almost 
in the grasp of Saul, when a sudden invasion of the Philistines 
required the king's attention, and he turned from David to fight 
them (xxiii. 24-28). The next movement brings us to the lesson 
where we have again the noble magnanimity of David in contrast 
with the repulsive character of the king. 

Veb. 1. When Saul returned. — This invasion of the Philistines, 
from which Saul returned, was probably a small marauding party, 
such as often invaded the border settlements of Judaea for plunder, 
particularly in the season of harvest. 

Wilderness of Engedi, or, the rugged cliffs of Engedi; i.e., the 
spring of the wild goats, or gazelles, a name given to it from the vast 
number of ibexes, or Syrian chamois, that inhabited its cliffs and 
caverns. It is situated on the western shore of the Dead Sea, and is 
now called Ain Jiddy. 

Vee. 2. Saul . . . went to seek David . . . upon the rocks of the 
wild goats. — "Nothing but the blind infatuation of fiendish rage 
could have led the king to pursue his outlawed son-in-law among 
those cragged and perpendicular precipices, where were inaccessible 
hiding-places. But the overruling providence of God frustrated all 
his vigilance." 

Veb. 3. He came to the sheepcots . . . where ivas a cave. — Dr. 
Robinson says that this wild country is full of caverns that might 
serve as hiding-places for David and his men, as they do for outlaws 
at the present day. They are unchanged since Saul entered one of 
them in the heat of the day. There are the same side-vaults, where, 
in the darkness, David and his men saw Saul enter, while, blinded by 
the glare of the light outside, he foiled to see the object of his pursuit. 
Some of these caves are "very large, with numerous deep and dark 
recesses. 

Yee. 4. TJie men said . . . Behold the day. — There is no record 
of any promise made by God to deliver Saul into the hands of David, 
though, from the repeated promises that the kingdom should be his, 
they may have inferred that he was to be destroyed by taking advan- 
tage of such an opportunity as this. But David, being free from the 
spirit of revenge, resists their importunity, and simply cuts a frag- 
ment from the skirt of his robe. Probably the robe was a loose outer 
garment lying upon the ground while Saul was asleep. 



INTERNATIONAL S. 8. LESSONS, 1876. 25 

Tee. 5. David's heart smote him. — So conscientious was he, that 
even this slight act troubled him. 

Tee. 6. The Lord's anointed. — Notwithstanding Saul's grievous 
offences, he was still king by divine appointment. David, recognizing 
this, did not feel that he would be justified in slaying him. 

Tee. 7. David stayed his sey^vants. — He would neither destroy the 
king himself, nor allow them to do it. 

Tee. 8. David arose . : . and cried after Saul. — How respectful 
his language! "My lord the king." How unimpaired his loyalty! 
"David stooped, with his face to the earth, and bowed himself." 
The wrongs from another do not take away his sense of right, or 
destroy his magnanimity. His kingly nature rises far above the 
jealous prince. 

Tees. 9-12. David said to Saul. — This address of David to Saul is 
another proof of his own innocence, his extreme forbearance, his 
regard for the Lord's anointed, though as a man and a relentless 
persecutor Saul has forfeited all claim to his clemency. He shows 
also his readiness to commit the whole case to God. 

Tee. 13. Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked. — A man's 
wicked deeds show the wickedness of his heart. Had David been 
a wicked man. he would have conspired against the king, and sought 
his life. He is guilty of neither crime; and therefore Saul should see 
and acknowledge his goodness. 

Tee. 11. A dead dog, a flea, — terms that express the most 
humble, weak, and contemptible condition. Why should a great 
king come out against one of his own servants, who is only a poor 
shepherd, an exile ? What honor or pleasure would it be to Saul to 
seek a dead dog, or pursue, with armed forces, a flea? 

Tee. 15. The Lord be judge. — To the Judge of all the earth, and 
to whom alone vengeance belongeth, David makes his appeal. For 
deliverance he relies upon him, and not upon himself. 

Tee. L6. And Saul . . . wept. — For the moment his heart is 
touched. He feels the truth and justice of what David has said, and 
confesses his own guilt. But being governed by emotions and 
passions, rather than by good principles, his repentance and friend- 
ship are only transient. Still they insure the present escape of 
David. 



26 



EXPLANATORY NOTES. 



LESSON VII. — February 13. 



Saul and his Sons slain. — 1 Sam. xxxi. 1-6. 



1. Now the Philistines fought against 
Israel: and the men of Israel fled from 
before the Philistines, and fell down 
slain in Mount Gilboa. 

2. And the Philistines followed hard 
upon Saul and upon his sons ; and the 
Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abina- 
dab, and Melchi-shua, Saul's sons. 

3. And the battle went sore against 
Said, and the archers hit him; and he 
was sore wounded of the archers. 

4. Then said Saul unto his armor- 



bearer. Draw thy sword, and thrust me 
through therewith, lest these uncircum- 
cised come and thrust me through, and 
abuse me. But his armor-bearer would, 
not ; for he was sore afraid. Therefore 
Saul took a sword, and fell upon it. 

5. And when his armor-bearer saw 
that Saul was dead, he fell likewise upon 
his sword, and died with him. 

6. So Saul died, and his three sons, 
and his armor-bearer, and all his men, 
that same dav together. 



Notwithstanding Saul's late tears and confession of wrong, and 
expression of admiration for David's generous treatment of him, 
still hatred and jealousy rule his heart. The Ziphites inform Saul 
of David's hiding-place in the hill of Hachilah, in the wilderness of 
Ziph; and, with three thousand chosen men, he goes forth to seek and 
destroy him (1 Sam. xxvi. 1, 2). 

David, having found the locality of the king's encampment, seems, 
accompanied by Abishai his nephew, to have hid himself near by, 
and at night entered the camp, and approached Saul, who was sleep- 
ing with Abner and the guard. Abishai proposes to David to allow 
him to destroy the king, as "God hath delivered thine enemy into 
thine hand" (1 Sam. xxvi. 8). 

David again refuses to touch the Lord's anointed; and they take 
away the king's spear and the cruse of water. The Oriental spear 
was usually furnished with a spike at one extremity, for the purpose 
of sticking it in the ground when the warrior was at rest. A cruse 
of water stood near one's couch, in warm climates, for refreshment 
at night. This was probably made of superior materials, and richly 
ornamented, and thus easily distinguished (1 Sam. xxvi. 11, 12). 

Leaving Saul's encampment, David ascended a distant hill, and 
"cried to the people and to Abner." The purity and elasticity of the 
air of Palestine enabled words spoken from an elevated position to be 
heard at a great distance; and the voice of David is recognized by 
Saul. David then addresses the king, and lets him know that his 
spear is in his possession, and that he desires to return it. Again 
Saul confesses his sins and his folly. He bestows his blessing upon 
David, and predicts that he shall do great things, and still prevail 
(1 Sam. xxvi. 13-25). 

The campaign which now opens, in which Saul fought his last bat- 
tle, was one of the most formidable that had occurred for years. 
After a season of rest, the Philistines gather their mightiest forces 
for an attack that will fully test the courage and resources of the 
Israelites (1 Sam. xxviii. 1, 4). From the heights of Gilboa, Saul sur- 
veys the formidable army of the Philistines in the plain of Esdraelon ; 
and his heart failed him. Presentiments of coming disasters cast 
their shadows upon his troubled spirit. He inquired of the Lord for 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS, 1876. 27 

council and help, but no answer was received. The God of Israel 
had forsaken him; and no message came to him, "neither by dreams, 
nor by Uriin, nor by prophets." The cup of his iniquity is now full, 
and he must drink it (1 Sam. xxviii. 4-6). 

Saul resorts to necromancy, to obtain the information which the 
Lord refused to give him. A woman who had a " familiar spirit " was 
found at Endor, to whom Saul, disguised, repaired by night with two 
attendants, desiring her to evoke the spirit of Samuel. Whatever 
may have been the nature of this woman's art, or her design in under- 
taking to fulfil the wish of Saul, it appears from the Scriptural 
record, that, before she had time to utter her incantations, the spirit 
of Samuel was permitted to appear, clad in the mantle having the 
rent that indicated the rending of the kingdom from the family of 
Saul. Saul recognized in the figure, the prophet who in the past had 
uttered the divine commands and warnings to him, and, from its 
passionless lips, listened to his awful doom. To-morrow, he and his 
sons will be numbered with the dead (1 Sam. xxviii. 7-49). 

Ver. 1. The Philistines fought against Israel . . . in Mount Gilboa. 
The region around Gilboa has been carefully examined, and found to 
accurately correspond with the Scriptural account of Saul's last bat- 
tle. There is "the same sort of evidence that the account relates 
what is true, that a person would have that such a battle as Water- 
loo really took place (1 Sam. xxix. 1). Gilboa, Jezreel, Shunem, 
Endor, are all found still bearing the same name. They lie within 
sight of each other. Aphek is the only one of the cluster not yet 
identified. Jezreel is on the northern slope of Gilboa ; and, at a dis- 
tance of twenty miles to the east, is a large fountain, and a smaller 
one still nearer, — just the position a chieftain would select, both on 
account of its elevation, and the supply of water needed for his troops. 
. . . The battle probably began upon the great plain, the south- 
eastern extremity of which is bisected by the low range of Mount 
Gilboa ; but, in the course of the conflict, the scene was shifted to the 
bill." — Jamieson. 

The men of Israel fled, &c. — The Philistines were doubtless superior 
to the Hebrews in archery, and at a distance did fearful execution 
with their arrows. Besides, the leader of the Israelites was not in a 
state of mind to inspire his soldiers with hope or courage ; and they 
are soon panic-stricken and thrown into confusion. They attempt to 
rally upon the heights of Mount Gilboa, but in vain. 

Vers. 2, 3. Philistines followed hard upon Saul and his sons. — The 
king and his sons fought bravely, but they could not withstand the 
repeated assaults of the enemy. The three sons fall, and the king is 
mortally wounded. 

Vers. 4, 5. Draw thy sword, and thrust me through. — Exhausted 
with fatigue and loss of blood, Saul fears, that, if he falls into the 
hands of the enemy, he will be treated with insult and cruelty 
(Josh. viii. 29, x. 24). He therefore requests his armor-bearer, who, 
according to Jewish authorities, was Doeg, to draw his sword and 
despatch him. The officer refusing, Saul falls upon his sword, and 
kills himself. The armor-bearer, following the example of his master, 
puts an end to his own life. 

, Ver. 6. So Saul died, and his three sons. — Thus ends the inglorious 
reign of the first king of Israel. Honored of God in his appoint- 



28 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 

ment and early career, and promised the highest advantages if he 
would continue faithful, he falls a victim to pride, disobedience, and 
jealousy; and, after a wretched life, is left to self-destruction. His 
sons perish with him, under the law that so often links the destiny 
of the child with the parent. 

The fate of Jonathan awakens our deepest sympathy : but, had he 
survived, a strong party might have risen up favorable to him as 
king; and thus the path of David to the throne may have been 
seriously obstructed. Such a character as Jonathan's cannot fail to 
receive its reward in that world where every man will be judged 
according to his deeds. 

And all his men that same day together, — i.e., his servants, or body- 
guard, perished with him. The main part of the army had been put 
to flight, while those about the king were all slain. 

The bodies of Saul and his sons were treated with great indignity, 
and made a spectacle of Israel's complete defeat, and ignominious 
subjugation (1 Sam. xxxi. 8-10). They were afterwards recovered by 
the hardy and heroic inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead, and burnt, that 
they might not be exposed to further insult. The bones were buried 
under a tree, or under the soil at Jabesh (1 Sam. xxxi. 11-13). 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS, 1876. 



29 



LESSON VIII. — February 20. 



D AYEO ESTABLISHED KeSTG. — 2 S AM. V. 17-25. 



17. IT But when the Philistines heard 
that they had anointed David king over 
Israel, all the Philistines came up to 
seek David ; and David heard of it, and 
went down to the hold. 

18. The Philistines also came, and 
spread themselves in the valley of Reph- 
aim. 

19. And David inquired of the Lord, 
saying, Shall I go up to the Philistines? 
wilt tliou deliver them into mine hand? 
And the Lord said unto David, Go up : 
for I will doubtless deliver the Philis- 
tines into thine hand. 

20. And David came to Baal-perazim, 
and David smote them there, and said, 
The Lord hath broken f orth upon mine 
enemies before me, as the breach of 
waters. Therefore he called the name 
of that place, Baal-perazim. 



21. And there they left their images, 
and David and his men burned them. 

22. IT And the Philistines came up 
yet again, and spread themselves in the 
valley of Rephaim. 

23. And when David inquired of the 
Lord, he said. Thou shalt not go up: 
but fetch a compass behind them, and 
come upon them over against the mul- 
berry-trees. 

24. And let it be, when thou hearest 
the sound of a going in the tops of the 
mulberry-trees, that then thou shalt 
bestir thyself: for then shall the Lord 
go out before thee, to smite the host of 
the Philistines. 

25. And David did so, as the Lord 
had commanded him; and smote the 
Philistines from Geba, until thou come 
to Gazer. 



On the third day of David's return to Ziklag from the slaughter of 
the Amalekites, tidings are brought to him of the death of Saul and 
his sons (2 Sam. i. 1-4). 

Among the people of the East it was customary, at the death of 
great kings and warriors, to celebrate their qualities and exploits in 
funeral-songs. The pathetic and striking elegy called forth from the 
poetic soul of David, by the death of Saul and Jonathan, is supposed 
to have become a national war-song, which was taught to the young 
Israelites. It has ever been justly admired as a vivid picture of deep 
and tender grief, of regard for the bravery of the king, and the 
warmest affection for Jonathan (2 Sam. i. 17-27). 

David, having sought divine direction, goes at once to Hebron, 
where he is anointed king over the house of Judah. Hebron was the 
centre and capital of Judah, and was the seat of David' s government 
for seven years. It was one of the most ancient cities of Canaan, 
and the favorite residence of the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and 
Jacob. It was also the special inheritance of Caleb. Its inhabitants 
were strongly attached to David ; and the princes and elders, represen- 
tatives of Judah, having offered David the crown, he accepted it 
(2 Sam. ii. 1-4). 

Abner, the captain of Saul's host, took Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, 
and secured the acknowledgment of him at Mahanaim as king over 
the greater part of Israel. Ishbosheth was forty years of age when 
he began to reign, and reigned two years peaceably (2 Sam. ii. 8-10). 
The five following years he was involved in wars with David, dur- 
ing which the latter was constantly growing stronger, while " the 
house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker" (1 Sam. hi. 1). 

Abner, having been provoked by Ishbosheth, seeks revenge by 
espousing the cause of David, and offering to bring under his rule all 



30 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 

Israel (2 Sam. iii. 20, 21). Joab sends messengers to Abner, and, 
taking liim aside, assassinates him (2 Sam. iii. 26, 27). 

The death of Abner was a severe blow to Saul's son, who was a 
feeble prince, and relied greatly upon his general. But soon after he 
was killed by Baanah and Beehab (2 Sam. iv. 1-8). 

The enemies of David being thus removed, all the tribes of Israel, 
through their representatives, came to Hebron ; and he made a league 
with them before the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel. 
As an Israelite he was qualified for the throne; and his military 
qualities, his long experience, his familiarity with every phase of 
human character, fitted him for this exalted position. Yet his eleva- 
tion to the throne was in accordance with God's decrees; though 
brought about gradually, and in a natural way. by the representatives 
of the people, who voluntarily elected him (2 Sam. v. 1-3). 

One of the first acts of David's reign was to gain possession of 
Jebus on Mount Zion, which, since the time of Joshua, had remained 
in the hands of the natives, and was deemed impregnable. The 
Jcbusites ridiculed the idea of any one taking the fortress, by placing 
upon the walls the lame -and the blind, as a sufficient force to keep 
out invaders (2 Sam. v. 6). 

But from the lower city, already in the possession of the Israelites, 
there was " a gutter," or subterraneous passage to the fortress, through 
which Joab, with a party of men, took "the stronghold of Zion." 
For this exploit Joab was appointed chief commander of the armies 
of Israel, having previously commanded the forces of the tribe of 
Judah (2 Sam. v. 6-8; 1 Chron. xi. 5, 6). 

David, having thus taken the fortress, commemorated the achieve- 
ment by calling it " the city of David." Here he fixed his residence, 
and erected a palace and other buildings, after strengthening the fort. 
This part of Jerusalem ever remained the royal quarter of the city. 

Veb. 17. IMien the Philistines heard they had anointed David king 
over Israel. — The Philistines, fearing the consequences of the consoli- 
dation of all the Hebrew tribes under the power of so able a military 
chieftain as David, resolved to attack him before he was firmly estab- 
lished in his kingdom. 

David went down to the hold. — This was some strongly fortified 
place, where he could oppose the progress of the invaders, and 
whence he could successfully attack them. 

Yee. 18. The Philistines came to the valley of Rephaim, — i. e., the 
valley of giants. This was a broad and fertile plain, about a mile in 
length, that forms the southern entrance into Jerusalem, and extends 
northward into the deep ravine of the Hinnom. As formerly, the 
enemy select the time of harvest for the invasion, when the fertile 
fields present a temptation to these marauders. 

Yee. 19. David inquired of the Lord. — He showed his wisdom, and 
gained in power, by taking no important step without first seeking 
counsel of the Almighty. 

Yee. 20. Baal-perazim. — The plain, or master of the breaches. 
Thus David commemorates the breach that God made in the army of 
the Philistines, giving to him the glory of the victory. 

Yee. 21. They left their images. — It was the custom of most 
nations, to take their household deities with them into battle, to fight 
for them. In imitation of this, the Israelites once took the ark with 



INTERNATIONAL 8. 8. L >, 1876. 31 

-i.andlc-- l& 11 The images, according to the divine 

command, were burnt <Deu _ . Bishop Patrick well reniu 

that, when the ark fell into the Philistines' hands, it consumed tL 

when these images fell into the hands of Israel, they could not 
- themselves from being consumed. 
Yze. 22. The Ph : ime up yet again. — The next fear, they 

appeared upon the field with a yet larger forcr. 

:.:.. _ _ - h a compaxs behind them. — The directions given by 
God now are different from those given at the time of the previous 
battle. Then David was charged to make a direct attack : now he 

I mpass them behind, or lay in ambush for them; and 
would go before him. an 1 :rike the first blow. 

Yes. 2-L T e a rand in the tops of the mulberry-trees. — I: 

is now generally supposed that the aspen, or trembling poplar trees, 
are here referred to, the leaves of which are rustled by the slightest 
movement of the air. Such trees abound in the neighborhood of 
Jerusalem, and in Southern Palestine. The meaning of the passage 
3t God caused -:und to pass through the tops of the s e trees, 
which the enemy mistook for the approach, of the hos:s at Israel. 
Beii:_ seized with fear, :he Philistines began to break their rank, and 
flee: when David pursued them, inflicting upon the army great 
s^v-iirlirrr. 

Veil i: ~ ~:ba to Gazer. — Gebi. Levitiea] town, not far 
from the northern border of the kingdom of Judah, and six or seven 
miles from Jerusalem. G lezer, _ ;.: : the C inaan- 

ites, between Bethhoron and the Mediterranean Sea. To this _:, 
in obedience to God's command, David drove the routed PhilistLL.es. 



32 



EXPLANATORY NOTES. 



LESSON IX. —February 27. 



The Ark brought to Zion. — 2 Sam. vi. 1-15. 



1. Again, David gathered together all 
the chosen men of Israel, thirty thou- 
sand. 

2. And David arose, and went with all 
the people that were with him from Baale 
of Judab, to bring up from tbence the 
ark of God, whose name is called by the 
name of the Lord of hosts that dwelleth 
beticeen tbe cherubims. 

3. And they set the ark of God upon a 
new cart, and brought it out of the house 
of Abinadab that teas in Gibeah; and 
Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, 
drave the new cart. 

4. And they brought it out of the house 
of Abinadab* which teas at Gibeah, ac- 
companying the ark of God: and Ahio 
went before the ark. 

5. And David and all the house of Is- 
rael played before the Lord on all man- 
ner of instruments made of fir-wood, 
even on harps, and on psalteries, and on 
timbrels, and on cornets, and on cym- 
bals. 

6. IT And when they came to Naehon's 
threshing-floor, Uzzah put forth his 
hand to the ark of God. and took hold 
of it ; for the oxen shook it. 

-7. And the anger of the Lord was 
kindled against Uzzah ; and God smote 
him there for his error; and there he 
died by the ark of God. 



8. And David was displeased, because 
the Lord had made a breach upon Uzzah : 
and he called the name of the place 
Perez-uzzah to this day. 

9. And David was afraid of the Lord 
that day. and said, How shall the ark of 
the Lord come to me? 

10. So David would not remove the ark 
of the Lord unto him into the city of 
David: but David carried it aside into 
the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. 

11. And the ark of the Lord continued 
in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite 
three months: and the Lord blessed 
Obed-edom. and all his household. 

12. "A And it was told King David, say- 
ing, The Lord hath blessed the house of 
Obed-edom, and all that pertaineth unto 
him, because of the ark of God. So Da- 
vid went and brought up the ark of God 
from the house of Obed-edom into the 
city of David with gladness. 

13. And it was so, that when they that 
bare the ark of the Lord had gone six 
paces, he sacrificed oxen and failings. 

14. And David danced before the Lord 
with all his might: and David was gird- 
ed with a linen ephod. 

15. So David and all the house of Is- 
rael brought up the ark of the Lord with 
shouting, and with the sound of the 
trumpet. 



The ark of God was the most sacred object to the Jews. It was a 
chest, or coffer, containing the tables of the law, written by the finger 
of God, and witnessing to his covenant with his people (Exod. xxv. 
22, xxxiv. 29). It is thus described : " It was of shittim-wood, covered 
within and without with plates of gold, nearly four feet in length, and 
two feet three inches in width and height. On the top of it all 
around ran a kind of gold crown. It had four rings of gold, two on 
each side, through which staves were put. by which it was carried. 
These also were overlaid with the finest gold, and were not to be re- 
moved from the rings (Exod. xxv. 10-22). The lid of the ark, all of 
gold, was called the mercy-seat : and upon its opposite ends were two 
golden cherubims, fronting each other and the mercy-seat, which they 
covered with their outspread wings (Exod. xxxvii. 1-9). Here God 
specially dwelt (2 Kings xix. 15; 1 Chron. xiii. 6), and shone forth, 
perhaps by some sensible manifestations (Lev. xvi. 2: Ps. lxxx. 1)." 

" Here he received the homage of his people, and dispensed his 
living oracles (Num. vii. S9). The great yearly sacrifice of expiation 
was here offered by tbe high priest (Heb. ix. 7) in the Holy of Holies." 

During the journey of the Israelites in the wilderness, the ark was 
borne, under a purple canopy, with great reverence, by the the priests, 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS, 1876. 33 

before the people. After the crossing of the Jordan, it continued for 
some time at Gilgal (Josh. iv. 19), whence it was removed to Shiloh 
(Josh, xviii. 1). During a battle with the Philistines, the ark was 
removed from Shiloh to the camp, with ihe hope that it would save 
the Israelites from their enemies (1 Sam. iv. 3, 4). But the army of 
Israel was defeated, and the Philistines took the ark of G-od (1 Sam. 
iv. 10, 11). 

The presence of the ark caused such distress among the Philistines 
that they returned it ; and it abode in Kirjath-jearim for twenty years 
(1 Sam. vii. 1, 2). From subsequent history it appears that the ark 
was here for a much longer period than twenty years (1 Chron. xiii. 
1-5) ; while this may indicate the time of spiritual declension, and 
the indifference of the people to its loss or recovery. 

Yer. 1. Again Devoid gathered together all the chosen men. — This 
was a great national movement for the purpose of bringing the ark to 
Jerusalem. David, filled with gratitude to God for the high dignity 
conferred upon him, and the many special marks of the divine favor 
he had received, and animated with the desire to revive the services of 
religion, of which the ark is the great agency and ornament, calls a 
vast assembly of the leading meD of the nation to consult in regard to 
this pious undertaking. 

During the reign of Saul, the ark had been sadly neglected ; and the 
people had become careless of the observances of religion, contenting 
themselves with offering sacrifices at Gibeah, without thinking of the 
ark, which was the most important part of the tabernacle. The prop- 
osition of David, so reasonable, and so advantageous to the nation, 
met with universal favor. 

Yer. 2. Baale of Judah. — The same as Baalah, or Kirjath-jearim 
(Josh. xv. 9). David went with a large force of picked men, as a mark 
of reverence for the ark of God, and to meet any opposition that the 
Philistines might make to the undertaking. A great concourse of 
people accompanied them. 

Yer. 3. They set the ark of God upon a new cart, — or covered 
wagon. "This was a hasty and inconsiderate procedure, in violation 
of an express statute (see Xum. iv. 14, 15, vii. 9) ; and although the 
Philistines, who had conveyed it from their territory to the borders of 
Israel in a cart, had been allowed, as ignorant heathens, to do so with 
impunity, the case was very different with those who had been in- 
structed in the divine law. But the whole population were moved to 
such transports of joy by the prosperous course of national events, 
that, in the delirium of that festive season, they did not pause to con- 
sider minutely the measures they adopted for the attainment of their 
object. They were extremely anxious to have the ark established at 
Jerusalem, where they could have access to it on all occasions when 
there was need to pray for counsel and succor ; and for the attainment 
of so precious a treasure, so important a benefit to the national inter- 
ests, all classes were eager to undertake any trouble, or to submit to 
any inconvenience. But, unhappily, they ' did evil, that thus good 
might come.' " — Jamieson. 

Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinaddb, drave the new cart. — Proba- 
bly Abinadab was too old and infirm to perform this sendee, and 
hence it devolved upon his sons. 

Yer. 4. Ahio went be/ore the ark, — i.e., to lead the oxen which 
drew it. 



34 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 

Ver. 5. David, and all the house of Israel, played before the Lord. — ■ 
David, with the priests and Levites, and musicians f roni various parts 
of the kingdom, attended the vast procession with vocal and instru- 
mental music. The fir-wood was celebrated among the ancient 
Egyptians, for its fitness in the formation of musical instruments ; and 
the knowledge of it was doubtless obtained from them by the He- 
brews. 

Harps, psalteries, &c. — These were the instruments in general use, 
and spoken of elsewhere. (See 1 Sam. x. 5, xvi. 23; Exod. xv. 20; 
Judg. ix. 34.) 

Cornets. — Instruments which, on being rapidly moved, gave a tink- 
ling sound. Cymbals were composed of two parts, which, on being 
■struck together, produced a clanging sound. See Wilkinson's " An- 
cient Egyptians," vol. ii. p. 323, vol. hi. pp. 72, 73. In the account 
given 1 Chron. xiii. 8, mention is made of the singing of songs, that 
they sang "with all their might." Some writers suppose that the 
Twenty-fourth Psalm was sung in parts on this occasion. 

Vers. 6, 7. Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God. — The oxen 
shook it; and Uzzah, fearing that it might be overturned, under the 
impulse of the moment laid hold of it, to keep it steady. Thus he 
violated an express command, given to the priests and Levites, that 
" they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die." (See Xum. iv. 
15; 1 Sam. vi. 19.) This error was doubtless committed without 
reflection, and without any sinful purpose, but with the design to 
save the ark from falling ; and the sudden death of Uzzah may seem 
too severe a punishment for the offence : but he had violated a law 
that was given for the protection of the divine majesty, and to excite 
in the minds of the people a profound reverence for the symbols and 
ordinances of religion. And as the ark of G-od, after a long season of 
neglect, was being brought back to re-establish divine worship, and 
revive religious devotion and duties, it was necessary that it come 
with all the holy influences with which it was originally invested. 

Ver. 8. And David was displeased. — He was deeply grieved at the 
sudden death of Uzzah; and, in fact, the event threw a gloom over 
the joyous scene. The procession was stopped ; and the ark was left 
where it then was, in the neighborhood of the capital. 

Perez-uzzali. — This name given to the place, Josephus says, was 
continued to his time. 

Ver. 9. David ivas afraid of the Lord. — His fears were excited lest 
some other terrible judgments might fall upon him or upon the peo- 
ple. He did not know but that he had provoked the divine displeas- 
ure by removing the ark ; and he deemed it best to stop where he was, 
which was not far from the city, and wait for further light. 

Ver. 10. Carried it into the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. — A 
Levite, caUed a Gittite from his residence at Gath ; or, probably, from 
Gath-rimmon, one of the Levitical cities referred to in Josh. xxi. 24, 
25. 

Ver. 11. The Lord blessed Obed-edom and all his household. — Bless- 
ings to the whole family flowed from the presence of the ark of God 
in the house. Every home is blessed by a daily recognition of the 
goodness and mercy of God, by family worship, and by cordially en- 
tertaining God's servants. 

Ver. 12. "It was told King David" &c. — The ark having re- 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS, 1876. 35 

mained three months in the house of Obed-edom. without inconven- 
ience or clanger, but with great advantage to the inmates, David's 
fears were dissipated ; and measures were taken to bring it to the city 
in a manner becoming its sacredness. According to 1 Chron. xv. 14, 
15, the priests and Levites sanctified themselves for the service ; and 
the ark was borne "upon their shoulders, with the staves thereon," 
according to the word of the Lord. 

Tee. 13. Sacrificed oxen and failings. — Some suppose that four 
altars were hastily raised, at the distance of every six paces, upon 
which sacrifices were offered. 

Tee. 14. David danced before the Lord. — He laid aside his royal 
garments ; and girded with a linen ephod, the official habit of priests, 
and of others engaged in a divine service, he manifested his joy by 
violent dancing and leaping. 

Tee. 15. Brought up the ark with shouting. — For a full account of 
the singing and music, see 1 Chron. xv. 16-24. Gifted Levites were 
trained to sing and play upon instruments for this great occasion. 
The performers were divided into three choirs, or bands ; one having 
cymbals of brass, another psalteries, and another harps. Thus was 
the ark brought to Zion. with every demonstration of reverence and 
joy. The imposing ceremonies were calculated to impress the popu- 
lar mind with a solemn veneration for the ark, and to direct the young 
to the duties of religion. A tabernacle was prepared to receive the 
ark : and appropriate services were instituted to commemorate this 
joyful event, and perpetuate its salutary influence (1 Chron. xvi. 1, 2). 



36 



EXPLANATORY NOTES. 



LESSON X. — March 5. 



God's Covenant with David. — 2 Sam. vii. 18-29. 



18. TT Then went King David in, and sat 
before the Lord, and he said, Who am I, 
OLord God? and what is my house, that 
thou hast brought me hitherto? 

19. And this was yet a small thing in 
thy sight, O Lord God; but thou hast 
spoken also of thy servant's house for a 
great while to come. And is this the 
manner of man, O Lord God? 

20. And what can David say more unto 
thee? for thou, Lord God, knowest thy 
servant. 

21. For thy word's sake, and according 
to thine own heart, hast thou done all 
these great things, to make thy servant 
know them. 

22. Wherefore thou art great, O Lord 
God ; for there is none like thee, neither 
is there any God beside thee, according 
to all that we have heard with our ears. 

23. And what one nation in the earth 
is like thy people, even like Israel, whom 
God went to redeem for a people to him- 
self, and to make him a name, and to do 
for you great things and terrible, for thy 
land, before thy people, which thou re- 
deemedst to thee from Egypt, from the 
nations and their gods? 



24. For thou hast confirmed to thyself 
thy people Israel to be a people unto thee 
forever: and thou, Lord, art become 
their God. 

25. And now, O Lord God, the word 
that thou hast spoken concerning thy 
servant, and concerning his house, estab- 
lish it forever, and do as thou hast said. 

26. And let thy name be magnified for- 
ever, saying, The Lord of hosts is the 
God over Israel : and let the house of thy 
servant David be established before thee. 

27. For thou, O Lord of hosts, God of 
Israel, hast revealed to thy servant, say- 
ing, I will build thee an house : therefore 
hath thy servant found in his heart to 
pray this prayer unto thee. 

28. And now, O Lord God, thou art 
that God, and thy words be true, and 
thou hast promised this goodness unto 
thy servant : 

29. Therefore now let it please thee to 
bless the house of thy servant, that it 
may continue forever before thee: for 
thou, O Lord God, hast spoken it : and 
with thy blessing let the house of thy 
servant be blessed forever. 



After King David had completed his splendid palace, and. was 
enjoying rest from his enemies, he said unto Nathan the prophet, 
"See, now, I dwell in a house of cedar; but the ark of God dwelleth 
within curtains" (2 Sam. vii. 1, 2). The contrast between his elegant 
mansion, built of costly and durable cedar, and the mean and tempo- 
rary tent in which the ark of God was placed, deeply affected his 
pious heart. While a movable structure suited the migratory life of 
the Israelites in the wilderness, he felt that now the national religion 
required a permanent edifice built with all the splendor that the 
wealth and art of the people could furnish. 

The pious design met with the prophet's cordial approval and 
encouragement (2 Sam. vii. 3). But God directs otherwise; and in 
addressing David as his servant (2 Sam. vii. 8), he gives him the 
assurance that his good intentions are appreciated; and elsewhere 
(1 Kings viii. 18) he commends him' by saying, "Thou didst well that 
it was in thine heart." 

But his successor he appoints to build the house (2 Sam. vii. 12, 13), 
promising, in the mean time, to defend the nation against the wicked, 
and prosper them, if they avoid rebellion and apostasy, and are faith- 
ful in their allegiance to him. 

God then enters into a solemn covenant with David (see 2 Sam. 
vii. 15-16): "My mercy shall not depart away from him . . . and 
thine house and thy kingdom shall be established forever before thee ; 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS. 1876. 37 

thy throne shall be established forever." Such is the solemn cove- 
nant, or oath, of the Lord, by which he secures to David the perpe- 
tuity of his seed and his kingdom; and which is celebrated in his 
Psalms (Ps. lxxxix. 3, 4, 35, 36, cxix. 41, 49), and by the prophets 
who succeeded him. Like the promise made to Abraham, it had a 
twofold meaning, — one pointing to David's natural posterity and 
earthly kingdom, and the other to the Messiah and his heavenly king- 
dom. The first furnishes the types and pledges for the fulfilment of 
the second. '"It was to fulfil the temporal part of this promise, that 
the Lord continued the house of David so long on the throne of 
Judah, notwithstanding all their frequent and aggravated rebellions 
against him (1 Kings xi. 36; 2 Kings viii. 19) ; and it was repeatedly 
appealed to by the Jewish church, when the judgments inflicted upon 
David's temporal house and kingdom seemed to make it void. This 
promise, as it represented David's natural seed, was conditional, so 
that the Lord at length deprived them of the kingdom : but he did 
not by that deprivation violate or nullify the covenant with his servant ; 
for this was only what he threatened at the commencement of it to do 
in the event of their committing iniquity (1 Chron. xxviii. 9). But 
how, then, was the promise made good, that David's seed should sit on 
his throne forever? The spiritual and eternal part of the promise 
pointed to the Messiah, who was to come of the seed of David accord- 
ing to the flesh, and to be raised up from the dead, to sit forever on 
his heavenly throne. The promise, as it respects the Messiah, was 
absolute, and in him had its accomplishment" (Jer. xxiii. 5, 6; 
Isa. iv. 2, xi. 1; Ezek. Xxxvii. 25-27; Luke i. 31-33, 68-70). 

Yer. 18. Then went King David in, and sat before the Lord. — The 
lesson opens with David's prayer, after G-od had made with him his 
holy covenant. Sitting, in ancient times, was the attitude of devo- 
tion. Eli, the priest, sat before the Lord. (See 1 Sam. i. 9, iv. 13.) 
The ancient Egyptians sat upon their heels before their shrines ; and 
this is the attitude of deepest respect, before a superior, in the East. 
It is also the posture of Mohammedans when engaged in their reli- 
gious rites. 

Wlio am I, O Lord God ? — The prayer opens with expressions of 
humility, gratitude, and joyful surprise. David reviews his career 
from his humble origin to his present exalted position, — a career 
marked with tokens of the divine care, and special interpositions in 
his behalf. 

Yer. 19. Of thy servant' s house for a great while to come. — The 
crowning blessing from G-od was his promise of the long-continued 
prosperity of the house of David, in the royal line of succession. 

Is this the manner of man, O Lord ? — This is the manner of man, 
and not of God, to deal thus familiarly with one so obscure as myself. 
For " thou hast regarded me according to the estate of a man of high 
degree, O Lord God" (1 Chron. xvii. 17). Thou hast treated me not 
as the son of a shepherd, but as though I were an illustrious prince. 

Yer. 20. What can David say more unto thee? — His obligations 
are greater than he can express. The Lord, who knows his servant, 
has supplied ail his wants, and surpassed his highest expectations. 

Yer. 21. According to thine own heart, hast thou done these great 
things, — i.e., they are the result not of my personal merits, but flow 
from thine own boundless liberality. 
4 



38 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 

Yee. 22. Thou art great, O Lord God. — The more we meditate 
upon the mercies and loving kindness of God, and the nearer we are 
brought to him, the more we adore his greatness and majesty. 

Vees. 23-26. And what one nation in the earth, &c. — In these 
verses, David recognizes the great favors and wonderful achievements 
of God for Israel, thus distinguishing this nation above all the nations 
of the earth. He would have the name of the Lord magnified ; and 
the greatest thing he can say of this nation is, "The Lord of hosts is 
the God over Israel." While other nations are under idols, the ever- 
lasting God is the ruler and portion of Israel. 

Veb. 27- For thou, O Lord, hast revealed to thy sei-vant. — Hast 
uncovered the ear of thy servant; i.e., communicated to him, through 
his prophet, his gracious will and kind purposes. 

Tees. 28, 29. Thou, O God, hast spoken it. — This is his assurance 
that every divine promise will be fulfilled (Isa. xl. 8; 1 Pet. i. 25). 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS, 1876. 



39 



LESSOX XI.— March 12. 



Absalom's Eebelliox. — 2 Sam. xv. 1-14. 



1. And it came to pass after this, that 
Absalom prepared him chariots and 
horses, and hfty men to run before him. 

2. And Absalom rose up early, and 
stood beside the way of the gate : and it 
was so. that when any man "that had a 
controversy came to the king for judg- 
ment, then Absalom called unto him. 
and said. Of what city art thou? And 
he said. Thy servant "is of one of the 
tribes of Israel. 

3. And Absalom said unto Mm. See. 
thy matters are good and right ; but there 
is no man deputed of the king to hear 
thee. 

4. Absalom said moreover. Oh that I 
were made judge in the land, that every 
man which hath any suit or cause might 
come unto me, and I would do him jus- 
tice! 

5. And it was so. that when any man 
came nigjh to him, to do him obeisance, 
he put forth his hand, and took him, 
and kissed him. 

6. And on this manner did Absalom 
to all Israel that came to the king for 
judgment: so Absalom stole the hearts 
of the men of Israel. 

7. IT And it came to pass after forty 
years, that Absalom said unto the king. 
I pray thee, let me go and pay my vow, 
which I have vowed unto the Lord, in 
Hebron. 



8. For thy servant vowed a vow while 
I abode at Geshur in Syria, saying. If 
the Lord shall bring me again indeed to 
Jerusalem, then I will serve the Lord. 

9. And the king said unto him, Go 
in peace. So he arose, and went to 
Hebron. 

10. ^[ But Absalom sent spies through- 
out all the tribes of Israel, saying, As 
soon as ye hear the sound of the trum- 
pet, theii ye shall say, Absalom reigneth 
hi Hebron. 

11. And -with Absalom went two hun- 
dred men out of Jerusalem, that were 
called ; and they went in their simplicity, 
and they knewnot any thing. 

12. And Absalom sent for Ahithophel 
the Gilonite, David's counsellor, from 
his city, even from Giloh, while he 
offered * sacrifices. And the conspiracy 
was strong; for the people increased 
continually with Absalom. 

13. IT And there came a messenger to 
David, saying. The hearts of the men of 
Israel are after Absalom. 

14. And David said unto all his ser- 
vants that icere with him at Jerusalem, 
Arise, and let us flee; for we shall not 
else escape from Absalom: make speed 
to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly, 
and bring evil upon us, and smite the 
city with the edge of the sword. 



Absalom was the third son of David, and his only son by Maacah, 
the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur (2 Sam. iii. 3). 

He was regarded as the handsomest man in the kingdom, and was 
particularly noted for the great abundance and beauty of his hair. 
When it grew so as to incommode him, and he cut it off, it was found 
to weigh two hundred shekels, that is, about thirty ounces, an 
extraordinary but not incredible weight (2 Sam. xiv. 25, 2G). 

David had one daughter by Maacah, named Tamar. who was also 
very beautiful. Her honor, as was usual in countries where polygamy 
prevails, was under the guardianship of her full brother more than 
that of the father, " whose interest in her is considered less peculiar 
and intimate." Her half-brother Amnon, David's eldest son, having 
wronged her, Absalom revenged himself by causing his death (2 Sam. 
xiii. 23-29). 

Absalom fled to Geshur, and remained there three years with his 
grandfather, King Talmai. After David had recovered from the grief 
occasioned by the death of Amnon, his heart yearned after his son 
Absalom (2 Sam. xiii. 38, 39). His beauty, ardent spirit, and royal 
birth, as well as having been a favorite son, drew forth the paternal 



40 ' EXPLANATORY NOTES. 

affections towards him, which, however, he did not appreciate. David 
would gladly have recalled the banished fratricide ; but a just horror 
of his crime, and a regard for public opinion, forbade him. 

Through the efforts of Joab, aided by a clever device of a woman 
of Tekoah, the king was persuaded to allow Absalom to return. He 
was not, however, admitted to his father's presence, but remained in 
his own house two years. Impatient under his disgrace, he sent for 
Joab, who effected a reconciliation ; and Absalom was once more 
received by his father (2 Sam. xiv. 21-23, 28-33). 

By the death of Amnon and of Chileab, the two eldest brothers, 
Absalom was now, according to the law of primogeniture, heir to the 
crown. But, under the Jewish theocracy, the divine king exercised 
the power of designating the successor, independent of this general 
law, and had expressed his preference for Solomon, who was at that 
time a child, as the heir to the throne. This fact, known to David, 
must have been known to others ; and we find in it a motive for the 
rebellion of Absalom. He wished to secure the throne by the laws of 
primogeniture, without waiting for the death of his father, and before 
Solomon attained maturity, and popularity with the people. The 
design of this rebellion was doubtless formed during his retirement; 
and the reconciliation with his father was eagerly sought to aid in its 
speedy execution. 

Ver. 1. Absalom "prepared him chariots and horses. — Restored to 
the king's palace, the heir-apparent to the throne assumes the state 
and equipage of a prince. The chariots of those days were magnificent 
vehicles, used by persons of dignity and rank (see Gen. xli. 43, 
xlvi. 29; 1 Sam. viii. 11). Horses were rare among the Hebrews at 
that time, and were used to form a splendid retinue by royalty. 

And fifty men to run before him. — Eminent persons who rode on 
horseback, or in splendid vehicles, had one or more servants who 
preceded them, bearing a stick, or baton, which was waved right and 
left to clear the way, especially in the narrow streets of the Oriental 
cities. These runners would go for many miles without stopping, 
their feet covered with dust, and often bleeding from wounds. Mem- 
bers of the royal family usually had fifty in attendance (see 1 Kings, 
i. 5). 

Riding thus through the cities, Absalom with his fine person, 
superior birth, and courteous manners, impressed the people with his 
claims, and won their favor. 

Yer. 2. Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate. 
— In the East, public business is usually transacted early in the morning. 
Kings sit for an hour or more in the open air, at the city gate, to hear 
and decide upon causes, and receive petitions from the people. David, 
through the infirmities of age or severe sickness, and being absorbed 
in conflicts w r ith enemies (see Ps. xxxviii. 3-8, 19), had neglected 
many private causes, and thus occasioned wide-spread dissatisfaction. 
Absalom availing himself of this feeling, and as far as possible in- 
creasing it, stepped in between the king and the suitors, and, patiently 
listening to their grievances, gratified them with favorable decisions. 

Vers. 3-6. There is no man deputed of the king to hear thee. — 
Therefore yonr interests are sadly neglected. " Oh that I were 
made a judge in the land!" Thus concealing his ambitious de- 
signs, and professing the deepest concern for the welfare of the 
people, and caressing all who came to him, "he stole the hearts of 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS, 1876. 41 

the men of Israel." They could not but contrast his promptness, 
generosity, and public spirit, with the weakness and inefficiency 
of his father's government; and hence he soon became a general 
favorite. 

Yek. 7. After forty years. — This is doubtless an error that has 
crept into the text. According to the Syriac and Arabic versions, and 
to Josephus, this should read " four years ; " that is, from the time 
Absalom returned to Jerusalem, and began his efforts to secure 
popular favor. 

Yers. 7, 8. Let me go and pay my voiv. — Absalom professes to 
have made a vow to the Lord, that, if he would restore him to Jeru- 
salem, he would offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving. 

He selects Hebron, a sacred city, the residence of priests, where 
sacrifices had often in the past been offered to God, for the per- 
formance of his vow, while in reality he regards it as a most suitable 
place for commencing his rebellious enterprise. Thus, under the 
cloak of religion, he plots the ruin of his father, and his usurpation 
of the throne. 

Yek. 9. The king said, Go in peace. — The pious father, ever ready 
to encourage the performance of religious duties, bids his son depart 
with his blessing. 

Yek. 10. Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel. — 
They go to sound the feelings of the people, and to prepare them for 
the signal to join the usurper of the government. 

The sound of the trumpet. — Probably trumpeters were placed on 
elevated positions, to announce to the whole country the news when 
Absalom was proclaimed king. 

Yek. 11. Two hundred men . . . that were called. — Two hundred 
men of influence and high standing were invited to accompany him 
to give dignity to his movement, and to join him in the feast of his 
sacrifice. " They knew not any thing," were not acquainted with his 
disloyal purposes. 

Yee. 12. Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite. — This man 
had been David's counsellor (Ps. lv. 13) and familiar friend (Ps. xli. 9), 
and was an able and clear-headed politician. He had deserted David, 
having, as Jewish writers assert, become disgusted with him on 
account of his conduct towards Bathsheba, who was his grand- 
daughter. A more efficient ally Absalom could not have selected. 
He sent for him while he was offering his sacrifices, thus showing 
that his heart was not in his religious services. 

The conspiracy was strong. — Multitudes flocked to its standard in 
all parts of the kingdom, showing the deep and wide-spread dissatis- 
faction that prevailed towards the person and government of David. 
The services rendered to the people by Absalom, the remaining 
adherents to the house of Saul, the king's treatment of Bathsheba, 
the insolence and crimes of Joab, and David's neglect in the admin- 
istration of justice, all contributed to the great success of the 
conspiracy (Ps. iii. 1). 

Yek. 14. Arise, and let us flee. — David, anxious for the preserva- 
tion of the city that he had enlarged and beautified, fled from 
Jerusalem, and retired to Mahanaim, beyond Jordan. In this hour 
of deep distress, he looks to God alone for support (Ps. iii. 3). In 
him is his confidence and courage (Ps. iii. 5, 6). To him he prays 
(Ps. iii. 7, 8). 



42 



EXPLANATORY NOTES. 



LESSON XII. —March 19. 



Absalom's Death. — 2 Sam. xviii. 24-33. 



24. And David sat between the two 
gates: and the watchman went up to 
the roof over the gate unto the wall, 
and lifted up his eyes, and looked, and 
behold a man running alone. 

25. And the watchman cried, and 
told the king. And the king said, If he 
be alone, there is tidings iu his mouth. 
And he came apace, and drew near. 

26. And the watchman saw another 
man running : and the watchman called 
unto the porter, and said, Behold another 
man running alone. And the king said, 
He also bringeth tidings. 

27. And the watchman said, Me- 
thinketh the running of the foremost is 
like the running of Ahimaaz the son of 
Zadok. And the king said. He is a good 
man, and cometh with good tidings. 

28. And Ahimaaz called, and said 
unto the king, All is well. And he fell 
down to the earth upon his face before 
the king, and said. Blessed be the Lord 
thy God, which hath delivered up the 
men that lifted up their hand against 
my lord the king. 



29. And the king said, Is the young 
man Absalom safe ? And Ahimaaz 
answered, When Joab sent the king's 
servant, and me thy servant, I saw a 
great tumult, but I knew not what it 
was. 

30. And the Mug said un to him, Turn 
aside, and stand here. And he turned 
aside, and stood still. 

31. And, behold, Cushi came; and 
Cushi said, Tidings, my lord the king: 
for the Lord hath avenged thee this day 
of all them that rose up against thee. 

32. And the king said unto Cushi, Is 
the young man Absalom safe? And 
Cushi answered, The enemies of my lord 
the king, and all that rise against thee 
to do thee hurt, be as that young man is. 

33. IT And the king was much moved, 
and went up to the chamber over the 
gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he 
said, O my son Absalom, my son, my 
son Absalom ! would God I had died for 
thee, O Absalom, my son, my son ! 



What specially alarmed David was, that Ahithophel, whose pro- 
found sagacity caused his counsels to be regarded as oracles, had 
espoused the cause of Absalom. He therefore persuaded his friend 
Hushai to go and join Absalom, and defeat the counsel of Ahitho- 
phel (2 Sam. xv. 34). He went to the city; and Absalom came into 
Jerusalem, and took possession of the throne, without opposition 
(2 Sam. xv. 37). 

The first advice that Ahithophel gave to Absalom was, to publicly 
take possession of that portion of his father's harem that had been 
left behind at Jerusalem. Thus the people would infer that no 
reconciliation could be made between the father and the son, and 
would throw themselves the more readily into his cause, and so 
greatly add to its strength (2 Sam. xvi. 20-22). 

Soon after, Hushai made his appearance, when a council of war was 
held, with reference to the best course to be pursued against David. 
Ahithophel advised that the king should be pursued that very night, 
and smitten while he was weary and weak-handed, and the people all 
brought back to Absalom (2 Sam. xvii. 1-3). 

Hushai, to gain time for David, spoke of the king's valor, and 
pointed out the fatal consequences of a defeat, and the expediency of 
gathering such a force as it would be impossible for David to With- 
stand. 

Fatally for the cause of Absalom, the plan proposed by Hushai was 
adopted; and thus time was given to enable the king to strengthen 
his forces, and the people to reflect upon the undertaking in which 
they had hastily embarked (2 Sam. xvii. (3-14). 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS, 1876. 43 

The king at once raised and organized an army, which he separated 
into three divisions, placed under Joab, Abishai, and Ittai the Git- 
tite. The king wished to command the army in person ; but the people 
would not allow him to risk his life, and the chief command rested 
upon Joab (2 Sam. xviii. 1-3). 

David charged the generals to deal gently with Absalom (2 Sam. 
xviii. 5). His affection for his son was still intense, and he could not 
bear the thought of his dying in his sins. Besides, he may have 
viewed the rebellion as a judgment from heaven for his own sins. 

The battle was fought in the borders of the forest of Ephraim. 
Joab enticed the enemy into the woods, and, surrounding them, put 
multitudes to death. Twenty thousand fell ; and Absalom escaped 
on a swift mule. As he went, his long hair was caught in the 
branches of a terebinth-tree, and he was suspended there (2 Sam. xviii. 
6-9). 

The person who discovered him, respecting the king's wishes, did 
not slay him. But Joab, hastening to him, thrust him through with 
three darts. His body-guard then completed the work (2 Sam. xviii. 
10-15). 

Yer. 24. David sat between the two gates. — David was as anxious 
in regard to the fate of his son, as he was for his own safety and 
throne. He stationed himself in the tower-house, on the wall, over 
the gate of Mahanaim. There was a watch-tower near, where a sen- 
tinel, in time of war, was posted, to give notice of every occurrence. 

Behold a man running alone. — The scene here is graphically 
described. This messenger was Ahimaaz, who first desired to bear 
the tidings of Absalom's death to David, but whose offer Joab, for 
some reason, declined. Cushi was selected for the service ; and, 
afterwards, Ahimaaz was permitted to follow him. 

Yer. 27. The foremost is like the running of Ahimaaz. — Ahimaaz 
was famous as a runner, and could be recognized at a distance. He 
had outrun his companion, and arrived first. Being known as a good 
man, the expectation was that he would bring good tidings. 

Yer. 28. All is well. — This was the usual salutation among the 
Hebrews. 

He fell on his face. — Not only out of respect for the king, but in 
reverence to God, whom he praised for the victory. By thus directing 
David' s mind to rendering thanks to God, he hoped to prepare him 
for the sad tidings he had to communicate. 

Yers. 29, 30. I saw a great tumuli, but I knew not what it ivas. — 
Thus Ahimaaz endeavors, by carefully approaching the subject, to 
still further prepare the king for the news. But he is told to stand 
aside, and wait for the arrival of the other messenger. 

Yer. 31. Cushi came. — He speaks with more plainness, and yet 
With caution, so as to save, as far as possible, the feelings of the king. 

Yer. 32. The enemies of my Lord . . . be as that young man is. — 
The king perfectly understood his words. He does not describe the 
manner of Absalom's death, but simply announces that his fate was 
what he desired might be the fate of all traitors against the king. 

Yer. 33. Went up to the chamber over the gate. — A distinguished 
traveller says, " To most houses of respectable size, or public import- 
ance, there is a smaller one annexed, which sometimes rises one story 
higher than the house. At other times it consists of one room or two 



44 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 

rooms only, and a terrace ; while others that are built, as they fre- 
quently are, over the porch, or gateway, have, if we except the 
ground-floor, which they have not, all the conveniences that belong 
to the house, properly so called. It is a sequestered part of the build- 
ing to which a person can retire for meditation and undisturbed soli- 
tude." 

O my son Absalom ! — The grief for a lost son extinguishes all 
thought of the victory that had been won. Some blame the king for 
showing so much fondness for a graceless son, and charge him with 
opposing divine Providence, disregarding the mercy of his deliver- 
ance, and the interests of the nation. But such an outburst of natu- 
ral affection awakens our sympathy, and reveals the nobleness of a 
father's heart, if it does not show the strength of a king. 

Absalom, before his death, reared a pillar for himself (2 Sam. xviii. 
18), said by Josephus to be of marble, in the Valley of Jehoshaphat. 
There is a remarkable monument in this valley, outside of Jerusalem, 
which is described by travellers as Absalom's tomb. The body of the 
monument is twenty-four feet square, and it rises to the height of 
forty feet. It is ornamented on each side, and evidently bears the 
style of a later architecture than that prevailing at the time of Absa- 
lom. In verse 17 we are told that " they took Absalom, and cast him 
into a great pit in the wood, and laid a very great heap of stones upon 
him." In the East, the people indicate their detestation of the mem- 
ory of an infamous person by casting stones upon the place where he 
is buried. The heap is increased by the accumulation of stones, 
which persons passing by add to it. 

The fate of the soul of this profligate young man, we must leave in 
the hands of his Creator. It was a most touching inquiry that the 
king made of the messenger, "Is the young man Absalom safe?" 
The only real safety is in obedience to the commands of our heavenly 
Father, whose love and power are pledged for the protection of his 
children. 



SECOND QTTAKTER. 
LESSONS IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. 



LESSON L — April 2, 1876. 



The Ascending Lobd. — Acts i. 1-12. 



1. The former treatise have I made, O 
Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both 
to do and teach, 

2. Until the day in which he was 
taken up, after that he through the Holy 
Ghost had given commandments unto 
the apostles whom he had chosen : 

3. To whom also he showed himself 
alive after his passion by many infallible 
proofs, being seen of them forty days, 
and speaking of the things pertaining 
to the kingdom of God : 

4. And, being assembled together with 
them, commanded them that they should 
not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for 
the promise of the Father, which, saith 
he, ye have heard of me. 

5. For John truly baptized with water ; 
but ye shall be baptized with the Holy 
Ghost not many days hence. 

6. When they therefore were come to- 
gether, they asked of him, saying, Lord, 
wilt thou at this time restore again the 
kingdom to Israel ? 

7. And he said unto them, It is not 
for you to know the times or the seasons, 



which the Father hath put in his own 
power. 

8. But ye shall receive power, after 
that the Holy Ghost is come upon you : 
and ye shall be witnesses unto me both 
in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in 
Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of 
the earth, 

9. And when he had spoken these 
things, while they beheld, he was taken 
up; and a cloud received him out of 
their sight, 

10. And while they looked steadfastly 
toward heaven, as lie went up, behold, 
two men stood by them in white apparel, 

11. Which also said, Ye men of Gali- 
lee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? 
This same Jesus, which is taken up from 
you into heaven, shall so come in like 
manner as ye have seen him go into 
heaven. 

12. Then returned they unto Jeru- 
salem, from the mount called Olivet, 
which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day's 
journey. 



Yee. 1. The former treatise. — Literally, according to the Greek, 
the first book, referring to the Gospel by St. Luke. It was the first 
in the order of time, having been written previously to the book of 
Acts ; and presents the groundwork of the subsequent events in the 
history of the apostles. It is the first in importance ; as a knowledge 
of our Lord Jesus Christ occupies the highest place, and is the foun- 
dation of religious truth and spiritual hopes. 

6. O Theophilus. — As Luke addressed his Gospel to Theophilus 
(Luke i. 3), it is evident that he is the author of this second treatise, or 
book, which is a continuation of that history. This man was a Gen- 
tile of rank, who had embraced Christianity, and resided at Rome, or 
in some part of Italy, or, as some suppose, in Alexandria. He repre- 

45 



46 EXPLANATORY NOTES, 

sented the G-entile readers, for whom Luke wrote his Gospel, giving 
such information respecting Jewish customs and place- as they 
needed. 

Of all that Jesus begem both to do and to teach. — The author claims 
that his histoiy of Christ is a complete record of his works and 
words, his miracles and discourses : without, however, maintaining 
that every incident in his life is given. St. John says that this was 
not possible (John xxi. 25): nor was it necessary to specify every 
event. TVe have all that we need in the main facts of his life, and in 
the cardinal doctrines of the system of truth he revealed. 

Yep*. 2. Until the day in which he was taken up. — Or, as in Luke 
xxiv. 51. in which he was borne, or carried up, into heaven. The 
ascension of Christ was the closing event of his earthly history, and 
very properly the termination of the Gospel narrative. It is also the 
beginning of his invisible reign, and his universal presence and 
spiritual operations on the earth. He now takes a higher position, 
one of greater power, dignity, and glory, having a name that is above 
every name. " The foremost place is here assigned to the history of 
the ascension to heaven, in order that we may continually remember 
that all that occurred in the visible world, and that is related in this 
book, originates in the invisible world. • whither the Lord Jesus is for 
us entered 7 (Heb. vi. 20). He who desires to understand aright the 
form which the Church of Christ assumes on earth must continually 
bear the ascension of Christ in mind, and the invisible process by 
which he took possession of his kingdom, as well as the future mani- 
festation of that kingdom." — C. H. Hie* 

After he had . . . given commandments unto the apostles. — Here, 
very naturally, follow some details of what took place, to carry 
forward Christ's kingdom by human agencies, animated and guided 
by those which are divine. Reference is made to his commandments 
to his disciples, obedience to which would be the execution of the 
divine will. These were given through, or by virtue of. the Holy 
Ghost, with which Christ was filled (Luke iv. 1, 14, IS), and thus had. 
the authority of the two persons of the holy Trinity. Some discover 
the additional idea that he chose his apostles through the Holy Ghost 
(among whom are Olshausen and De Wette. and many interpreters 
before them) ; but the former view seems the most simple and 
natural. 

Whom he had chosen. — Whom he had selected and supernaturally 
endowed to be his true witnesses and faithful preachers of his gospel. 
This gracious act of our Lord's wisdom and kingly authority and 
love cannot be too highly estimated by his followers. In the very 
hour of his ascension he gives instructions, as he had done in his life 
and just before his death. These are learned, as well as taught, 
through the Holy Ghost. The power in giving, receiving, and exe- 
cuting, is divine. 

Tee. 3. To whom he showed himself alive. — As the resurrection of 
Christ was the crowning evidence of his divinity, and the great doc- 
trine that the apostles were commissioned to preach, it was accom- 
panied by many infallible proofs, such as could not be denied or 
reasonably doubted. There was not one proof alone, but many. He 
showed himself alive to others, as well as to his apostles ; to Mary 
Magdalene and the other Mary (Matt, xxviii. 1-9), to the two disciples 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS, 1876. 47 

who were going to Emmaus (Luke xxiv. 15), to Simon Peter (Luke 
xxiv. 34), to the ten apostles assembled on the evening of the first 
day of the week (John xx. 19), and afterwards to the eleven (John 
xx. 26), to the seven disciples at the Sea of Tiberias (John xxi. 1-5), 
to above five hundred brethren at once (1 Cor. xv. 6), and to all the 
apostles either before or at his ascension. 

He proved his personal identity by talking with them, showing his 
wounds, eating before them, working miracles, and manifesting the 
same interest in them that characterized their friendship before his 
death. Whatever changes may have taken place in his bodily organ- 
ization, he was the same Jesus who died upon the cross, and was 
recognized as such by his disciples, 

Being seen of them forty days. — That is, at intervals and on different 
occasions during forty days. This is the only record we have of the 
time that elapsed between the resurrection and the ascension. Luke, 
in his "former treatise," mentions the events, without furnishing 
the dates of their occurrence. 

Speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God. — At the 
interviews, during these memorable forty days, our blessed Lord fur- 
ther instructs and enlightens his disciples. He converses with them 
familiarly upon themes and events pertaining to the everlasting 
kingdom of God in heaven, and to the church on earth. We may 
gain a hint of the impressions he made, and the deep emotions he 
excited, from the disciples with whom he walked to Emmaus, who 
said, "Did not our heart burn within us while he talked with us by 
the way, and while he opened to us the Scriptures ?" (Luke xxiv. 32. ) 

Ver. 4. Being assembled together. — Although, after the resurrec- 
tion, the apostles scattered to their homes in Galilee, where Jesus 
appeared to them (Matt. xxvi. 32; John xxi. 1), yet it is evident that 
they had now returned to Jerusalem, where the final parting was to 
take place. 

Commanded them. — Jesus met with them, and commanded them 
not to depart, but to await the gift of the Holy Ghost. They would 
naturally desire to leave a city filled with their enemies, and with 
painful recollections of the sufferings of their Lord, and of the insults 
heaped upon him. "But it was the will of God, that the law should 
go forth out of Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem 
(Isa. ii. 1-3) ; that the foundations of his Messianic kingdom should 
"be laid on this holy mountain; that, on the spot in which enmity 
against the Lord's Anointed had assumed the most awful form, the 
superior power of grace might be revealed ; and that there the glory of 
the name of Christ should be displayed in the most triumphant man- 
ner, by the effusion of the Spirit, by the conversion of thousands, and 
by signs and wonders." — Lange's Commentary. 

The promise of the Father. — This was the great and blessed promise 
of the outpouring of the Spirit. It is termed the promise of the Father, 
because it was made through the prophets under the old dispensation 
(see Isa. xliv. 3; Joel ii. 28; Zech. xii. 10). Which ye have heard 
of me. — Christ refers to this promise in Luke xii. 11, 12, and repeats 
it in John xiv. 16, 17, 26, xv. 26, &c. 

Veb. 5. Baptized ivith the Holy Ghost. — After John had baptized 
Jesus with water, he uttered the promise, " He shall baptize you 
with the Holy Ghost" (Luke iii. 16). This had been fulfilled (John 



48 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 

xx. 22), but now the Spirit was to be poured out upon them in its 
fulness and abundant power. Oh that we might seek until we obtain 
a full baptism of God's Holy Spirit! 

Not many days hence. — It was in about ten days, but Christ did 
not specify the day or the hour. He would have his people watch 
and pray, and wait patiently for his coming. This is a part of our 
education to receive him. 

Yer. 6. Wilt thou at this time restore . . . the kingdom ? — 
Since Christ's resurrection he had often spoken of his kingdom; and 
his words at this time seem to arouse the patriotic ardor of those who 
listen to him. They desire to see liberty, power, and grandeur re- 
stored to their nation ; and to their minds the divine promises hang 
over them full of temporal blessings. Their ideal of a kingdom is 
the kingdom of Israel in its glory, outshining all the kingdoms of the 
world. 

Yer. 7. It is not for you to know. — This answer, exhibiting divine 
wisdom combined with human tenderness, is intended to instruct, 
rather than rebuke ; as though he had said, " It is not fitting or best 
that you should know the times or the seasons, or periods. These 
are secrets belonging to the Father, whose rightful prerogatives the 
Son should guard." 

Yer. 8. But ye shall receive power. — If there is not granted to 
you a knowledge of the precise periods of future events, yet ye shall 
receive power to work now, and thus hasten the coming of the Lord's 
kingdom. It is far better to be thus employed as mighty agencies for 
good, than to be indulging in mere speculations as to times and 
seasons. 

This power will follow the outpouring of the Spirit, and will consist 
of miraculous gifts. It will be a power with God and men for the 
accomplishment of a mighty work in the world. 

Shall be witnesses. — They shall be living witnesses of the life, 
death, resurrection, and ascension of the Son of God and Saviour of 
men. Their vocation, their preaching his doctrines, their willingness 
to toil and suffer for him, shall be witnesses for Christ. 

In Jerusalem, all Judoza, &c. — Here our Lord marks out the pre- 
cise course of the streams of salvation that have their source at Jeru- 
salem. 

1. The apostles began their work at the temple (Acts iii. 1), and 
converts first multiplied in Jerusalem (Acts vi. 7). 2. The perse- 
cutions, in the time of Stephen, scattered abroad the disciples 
"throughout the regions of Judaea" (Acts viii. 1), where they 
preached the word. 3. Next they crossed over to Samaria, where 
they found a mixed people that formed a connecting link between 
the Jews and Gentiles. 4. Then Antioch became a centre of opera-, 
tions in the Gentile world ; and the conversion of Ssail, and the vision 
of Peter, led to the wide extension of Christianity. 

Yer. 9. While they beheld, he was taken up. — The ascension which 
Christ himself had predicted (John xvi. 10, vi. 62, xiv. 28), now takes 
place before their eyes. They saw it, and were thus prepared to testify 
to its truth. It corresponded with other miracles they had seen, espe- 
cially to those who beheld his transfiguration. It was what they 
might have expected, a glorious termination of the series of wonder- 
ful works on earth since the day he entered upon his public ministry. 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS, 1876. 49 

A cloud received him. — "He inaketh the clouds his chariot," and 
how appropriately! A cloud was the visible emblem cf the divine 
presence to the Israelites in the wilderness. From the bright cloud 
(Matt. xvii. 5), a voice was heard, " This is my beloved Son." Elijah, 
the stern prophet of the old dispensation, was caught up in a voliirl- 
v:lnd (2 Kings ii. 11). " The Prince of peace" is borne up in a beau- 
tiful cloud. The departure of the former has been compared to " the 
flight of a bird, which none can follow." The latter opens a new 
avenue between earth and heaven, of which Jacob's ladder was a 
type (Gen. xxviii. 12). Christ refers to it in John i. 51, "Hereafter 
ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and 
descending upon the Son of man." 

Yer. 10. Wldle they looked steadfastly toward heaven. — Absorbed 
by the wonderful and splendid scene, they continued to gaze earnestly 
toward the world whither Jesus had gone. Scarcely is he out of their 
sight before two angels appear, probably the same who appeared to 
comfort and direct the disciples after the resurrection. It has been 
suggested, that they may have been Moses and Elias, who appeared 
at the transfiguration (Luke ix. 30, 31). 

In white apparel. — In brilliant celestial robes (Mark xvi. 5), "In 
raiment white as snow" (Matt, xxviii. 3). How many of Christ's 
disciples have received bright visions of their Saviour, and of his 
heavenly attendants, who have looked steadily up for guidance, 
strength, and comfort! 

Yer. 11. Ye men of Galilee. — The angels thus addressed them, 
for they knew their origin and history. They knew them as God's 
messengers called from a humble sphere to a high position and a sub- 
lime work. " Why stand ye gazing up into heaven ? " There are active 
duties that demand your attention, great events in the future to 
which you should look. 

This same Jesus . . . shall so come in like manner. — This same 
being whom they have known and loved, whom they have seen as 
crucified and risen, and now ascending to heaven, shall return in 
like manner, visibly, in a cloud, and as the Son of man (Luke xxi. 27). 
" He shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all 
them that believe" (2 Thess. i. 10). 

Yer. 12. Then returned they to Jerusalem. — They returned "with 
great joy" (Lukexxiv. 52), from Mount Olivet, distant "a sabbath day's 
journey;" that is, three-quarters of an English mile, or four thousand 
German feet. Luke's previous statement that "he led them out as 
far as to Bethany" (Luke xxiv. 50), does not conflict with this. The 
statement here refers to the general distance of the mount, and does 
not imply the exact distance from the spot whence the Saviour 
a-cended. As Bethany was fifteen furlongs from Jerusalem (John ii. 
18), nearly two miles, and as only six furlongs are assigned to a sab- 
bath day's journey, the precise spot from which the Lord ascended 
must be between these two points. 



50 



EXPLANATORY NOTES. 



LESSON II. — April 9. 



The Day of Pentecost. — Acts ii. 1-11. 



1. And when the day of Pentecost was 
fully come, they were all with one accord 
in one place. 

2. And suddenly there came a sound 
from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, 
and it filled all the house where they were 
sitting. 

3. And there appeared unto them clov- 
en tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon 
each of them. 

4. And they were all filled with the 
Holy Ghost, and began to speak with 
other tongues, as the Spirit gave them 
utterance. 

5. And there were dwelling at Jeru- 
salem Jews, devout men, out of every 
nation under heaven. 

6. Now when this was noised abroad, 
the multitude came together, and were 



confounded, because that every man 
heard them speak in his own language. 

7. And they were all amazed and 
marvelled, saying one to another, Be- 
hold, are not all these which speak Gal- 
ileans ? 

8. And how hear we every man in our 
own tongue, wherein we were born ? 

9. Parthians, and Medes, and Elam- 
ites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, 
and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pon- 
tus, and Asia, 

10. Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, 
and in the parts of Libya about Gyrene, 
and strangers of Rome, Jews and pros- 
elytes, 

11. Cretes and Arabians, we do hear 
them speak in our tongues the wonderful 
works of God. 



In this lesson we have presented to us the founding and develop- 
ment of the Christian Church. The break in the apostolic ranks, by 
the apostasy of Judas, had been filled by the election of Matthias. 
The twelve apostles and the other disciples were, in accordance Avith 
Christ's command, waiting at Jerusalem for the Comforter from the 
Father, for the advent of the Holy Spirit, that was to mark a new and 
blessed era in the history of the world's redemption. 

Yer. 1. The day of Pentecost. — This was the fiftieth day after the 
Passover closed, the word " pentecost " signifying fiftieth. It was reck- 
oned from the sixteenth of the month Nisan, which was the second 
day of the feast of the Passover (Lev. xxiii. 15, 16). It was called 
the feast of weeks (Exod. xxxiv. 22), because it was kept seven weeks 
after the Passover. Then the first fruits of the wheat harvest, which 
at that time was completed, were offered to the Lord (Deut. xvi. 9, 10). 
It was also called, "the day of the first fruits;" and other special 
sacrifices were prescribed for this festival (see Num. xxviii. 26-31). 
It was the most largely attended by Jews from foreign parts, of the 
three great festivals at which all the adult males were required to go 
up to Jerusalem. While the people of Israel were observing it as a 
festival of thanksgiving for the first harvest of the year, how appro- 
priate, that, under the outpouring of God's Holy Spirit, it should be 
the source of the first great spiritual harvest, when, from fields al- 
ready white for the harvest, three thousand souls, in a single day, 
should be gathered into the garner of the Lord ! 

It was also called by the Jews, " the feast of the joy of the law," to 
commemorate the giving of the law at Sinai, which was on the fiftieth 
day of the exodus, when the passover was killed (Exod. xix. 1). How 
suitable, then, was the day for the founding of the Christian Church, 
when the law, instead of being engraved upon tables of stone, was to 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS, 1876. 51 

be written upon human hearts, and was to "go forth from Jerusa- 
lem " under a new covenant, to bless the world ( Jer. xxxi. 31-33). 

They were all with one accord in one place. — The day of Pentecost 
having fully arrived, they were all, the hundred and twenty (Acts i. 
15) and others who may have met with them, with one accord in one 
place. The Greek term translated, " with one accord," is used eleven 
times in the Book of Acts. It expresses the necessary unity of the 
Church, and brings to mind Christ's precious promise, "Where two 
or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of 
them " (Matt, xviii. 20). The Holy Spirit cannot visit and dwell with 
the contentious and ungodly, but only with those who are united in 
the bonds of love, and breathe forth together their prayers and sup- 
plication*. 

Yer. 2. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven. — It was so 
sudden that it awakened great surprise, mingled, doubtless, with 
alarm. It was calculated to arouse the deepest attention to what was 
to follow. It was a sound like that of a rushing mighty wind. It 
might well remind the listeners of the command given to Ezekiel in 
his vision (Ezek. xxxvii. 9), to " cry to the wind, and prophesy, and say 
to the wind, Come from the four winds, O breath [or Spirit, as the 
Hebrew allows] and breathe upon these slain, that they may live." 
This sound as of a rushing mighty wind was the divinely appointed 
herald of the coming Spirit. It filled the house preparatory to the 
Spirit's filling the hearts of the assembly. 

Yer. 3. Cloven tongues like as of fire. — That is, the appearance of 
a fiery body, distributed in the form of tongues, and resting upon 
each of them. This was the baptism of fire that John promised 
(Matt. iii. 11), the fire that the Lord desired to have kindled (Luke 
xii. 49). These visible flames were an emblem of the spiritual light 
that comes from heaven, and of the holy ardor and glowing emo- 
tions that should fill the Christian heart. " The form of tongues signi- 
fied that the tongue, the word, or speech, thoroughly pervaded and 
controlled by the Holy Spirit of G-od, should communicate and reveal 
all that is heavenly and holy. The circumstance, that such a tongue 
of light and fire descended and sat upon each individual who was 
present, was an emblem of that fulness of the Spirit, which was de- 
signed for, and imparted to, each individual as a permanent gift." 
— Lange. 

Yer. 4. They were all filled with the Holy Ghost. — The Spirit was 
not giren to them in part, or by measure, but in its fulness (John iii. 
34). It came as Christ had promised, as the Comforter, as a revealer 
of all truth, as a reminder of Christ's words, as a permanent indwell- 
ing agency to abide with them forever. 

Began to speak with other tongues. — Being thus filled with the 
Spirit, they were inspired to speak in the languages of those present, 
so as to be understood by them. It is not necessary to suppose that 
this gift was continued to them for the purpose of preaching the gos- 
pel afterwards, but was designed specially for this occasion. There 
were " divers kinds of tongues," or "diversities of tongues," all de- 
rived from the same Spirit, yet different gifts. 

As the Spirit gave them utterance. — The whole was the free gift of 
the Spirit. They were inspired of G-od to make known his wonderful 
works ; to present with ease and fluency, in languages that they had 



52 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 

never learned, the chief and extraordinary facts in Christ's history, 
and the main features of the plan of salvation, and to pour forth the 
praises of God in solemn adoration. 

Yer. 5. There were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, &c. — They were 
not simply sojourning, but residing there; many, after a residence 
elsewhere, having made the Holy City their abode, that they might 
be near the temple, and convenient to the annual religious services 
and feasts. They were " devout men." They were in a state of mind 
and heart to receive and appreciate the truth. They shared largely in 
the general expectation of a coming Messiah, and were therefore pre- 
pared to accept at once the proofs of his advent. They illustrate 
the words of Jesus (Matt. xiii. 12): "Whosoever hath, to him shall 
be given; and he shall have more abundance." 

Out of every nation under heaven. — We see the wonderful goodness 
and faithfulness of God, who, amid severe judgments inflicted upon 
his disobedient people, prepares a pathway for the extension of the 
gospel. On account of their sins, the Jews had been scattered among 
all nations, and thus had learned the respective languages in those 
nations. At Alexandria they were so numerous that the Old Testa- 
ment Scriptures were translated into Greek for their use, nearly three 
hundred years before Christ. Great numbers of the Jews were carried 
into Egypt ; and at the three great national festivals, and especially ab 
this of Pentecost, they came from all quarters to Jerusalem. And 
now God employs them, as well as those who permanently abode in 
the city, to make known, in the various languages they have acquired, 
the glad tidings of salvation to all nations. 

Yer. 6. When this was noised abroad, &c. — When the sound as of 
a rushing mighty wind was heard in the vicinity, or, as some writers 
think, over all Jerusalem, it attracted a multitude to the spot where 
the disciples were assembled. This sound, or, as it is here called, a 
voice, was a supernatural phenomenon, that could only be described 
by comparing it to a rushing mighty wind. It was really the voice 
of Jehovah, announcing the coming of his Holy Spirit, and summon- 
ing the multitudes at Jerusalem to attend the first great meeting at 
the institution of the Christian Church, and listen to the truths of 
the gospel, that they may on this occasion hear in their own tongue, 
and that are destined to be preached in all the languages of the world. 

And were confounded. — They were violently agitated and amazed 
to hear these men speaking with fluency and accuracy, all the lan- 
guages and dialects represented in that vast crowd. Such a scene 
was never before witnessed in the history of mankind. We may im- 
agine one whispering to another, " What does all this mean? " 

Tees. 7, 8. Are not all these that speak Galilazans ? — This increases 
their amazement that Galilaeans, noted for their want of culture (John 
i. 40) and their corrupt dialect (Mark xiv. 70), should be thus able to 
speak in these foreign languages. The idea which has been advanced, 
that " these tongues were merely an ecstatic or impassioned style of 
discourse," is entirely dissipated by the inquiry, " How hear we 
every man in our own tongue wherein we were born?" The very 
language that they heard from their mothers' lips, they hear to-day, 
clearly presenting to them the truths of the gospel. 

Yer. 9. Parthians and Medes, &c. — We have here a list of fifteen 
countries, represented in the great assembly, lying in the North, East, 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS, 1876. 53 

South, and West. Parthia was north of Asia, and north-east of Media 
and Hyrcania, the inhabitants being of the Scythian race, and cele- 
brated in war as archers. They long resisted the aggressions of the 
Romans. 

Media was bordered, north, by the Caspian Sea ; south, by Persia, 
east, by Hyrcania ; and west by Armenia. It was one of the most 
fertile and earliest cultivated of the kingdoms of Asia, covering a 
larger territory than that of Spain. 

The Elamites descended from Elam, son of Shem (Gen. x. 22). 
Their country, Elymais, or Elam, was east of the Tigris, south of 
Media, and north of Susiana, whose capital was Shushan, where 
Daniel resided, in the province of Elam (Dan. viii. 2). 

Dwellers in Mesopotamia. — Of those now dwelling in Jerusalem 
(ver. 5), some had been dwellers in Mesopotamia, a country lying 
between the rivers Tigris and Euphrates, as the name signifies 
"between the rivers." It has been recently found that the languages 
anciently spoken in these regions were very various. Five or six 
varieties are brought to light in deciphering the Assyrian inscrip- 
tions, thus adding to the extent and force of these miraculous gifts. 

Judcea. — Luke mentions Jndsea, because he was writing in Rome, 
and following the geographical order of the countries from east to 
west. Besides, as the Galilseans were noted for a barbarous dialect, 
the Jews may have been amazed to hear them speaking pure Hebrew. 
Moreover, Luke's aim is to give all the languages that were spoken. 

Cappadocia. — The largest ancient province of Asia Minor, where 
many Jews dwelt. It was bounded on the north by Pontus ; on the 
south, by Mount Taurus ; on the east, by the Euphrates and Armenia ; 
and, on the west, by Galatia. The language spoken here was probably 
a compound of the Syriac and the Greek, which the apostles did not 
understand. Christianity was early introduced here (1 Pet. i. 1) 
among a people degraded and vicious. 

Pontus. — The sea, so called from its bordering on the Black Sea. 
It was the north-eastern province of Asia Minor. The devoted Aquila 
was a native of Pontus (Acts xviii. 2) ; and here the gospel was made 
known at an early period (1 Pet. i. 1). 

And Asia. — The western region of Asia Minor, of which Ephesus 
is the capital. See references to this region in Acts vi. 9, xvi. 6, xx. 
16. Here the seven churches of Asia were located (Rev. i. 4) that St. 
John addressed. 

Ver. 10. Phrygia and PampJiylia. — Provinces of Asia Minor, where 
the Jews spoke the dialect of the Greeks. St. Paul twice travelled 
over Phrygia, preaching the gospel (Acts xvi. 6, xviii. 23), and visited, 
with Barnabas, Perga, the chief city of Pamphylia (Acts xiii. 18, xiv. 
24, 25). 

Egypt — The language generally spoken in Egypt was Coptic. At 
Alexandria, two-fifths of the population were Jews. They had been 
encouraged to settle there by Alexander and Ptolemy Logus. 

Libya about Cyrene. — Libya was an extensive regionin Northern 
Africa, about five hundred miles west of Alexandria in Egypt. 
Cyrene was originally a Greek colony, and one of its principal cities. 
At this time the Jews constituted a fourth part of the population, 
and formed an independent body, with a governor of their own. It 
was the native place of Simon, who was compelled to bear our Saviour's 



54 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 

cross (Luke xxiii. 26). In Jerusalem the Jews of Cyrene were so 
numerous they had a synagogue of their own. 

Strangers of Rome. — The Romans sojourning at Jerusalem. 
According to Josephus, there were so many Jews at Rome that they 
had eight synagogues there. The pilgrims at Jerusalem, who had 
come up to the feast, hear the gospel in the Latin tongues ; and it is 
supposed that the converts founded the church to which Paul ad- 
dressed his Epistle to the Romans. 

Jews and proselytes. — The proselytes were formerly heathen, who 
had embraced Judaism. The Jews were noted for their zeal in 
making proselytes (Matt, xxiii. 15). 

Yer. 11. Cretes and Arabians. — These should properly have been 
introduced before the last general summary, as they were both of the 
native and proselyte class. Crete is a large island in the Mediter- 
ranean, now called Candia. It is celebrated by Homer for its hundred 
cities. Paul touched at this island on his way to Rome (Acts xxvii. 
7, 8, 13) ; and Titus was left there to set in order things pertaining to 
the churches, and ordain elders (Tit. i. 5). The inhabitants were 
notorious for their treachery and immorality (Tit. i. 12, 13). 

Arabia. — A country in Western Asia, lying south-east of Judaea. 
On the north, it is bounded by part of Syria; on the east, by the Per- 
sian G-ulf and the Euphrates ; on the south, by the Arabian Sea ; and, 
on the west, by the Red Sea, Egypt, and Palestine. The country is 
divided into three parts, one of which, Arabia Petraea, though smaller 
than the others, is rich in historical associations. " The patriarch Job 
was familiar with its scenery. At Horeb, Moses saw the burning 
bush, and Elijah heard ' the still small voice.' In this great and ter- 
rible wilderness from Mount Sinai to the promised land, the Hebrews 
spent their forty years of wandering." 

Do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God. — 
One language was not expressive or forcible enough to describe the 
doctrines of "the glorious gospel of the blessed God." One language 
was not sufficient to sound forth the high praises of the Author of 
our salvation. It needed all the tongues of the world to publish the 
glad tidings, and render the honor due to the divine Redeemer. The 
hymns of praise to his name require the peculiar strength and beauties 
of all languages, to express his divine excellencies, and his achieve- 
ments for mankind. 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS, 1876. 



55 



LESSON III.— April 16. 

Peter's Defence. — Acts ii. 12-28. 



12. And they were all amazed, and 
were in doubt, saying one to another, 
What rneaneth this? 

13. Others mocking said, These men 
are full of new wine. 

14. IF But Peter, standing up with the 
eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto 
them. Ye men of Judsea. and all ye that 
dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto 
you, and hearken to my words : 

15. For these are not drunken, as ye 
suppose, seeing it is but the third hour 
of the day. 

16. But this is that which was spoken 
by the prophet Joel ; 

17. And it shall come to pass in the 
last days, saith God, I will pour out of 
my Spirit upon all flesh : and your sons 
arid your daughters shall prophesy, and 
your 'young men shall see visions, and 
your old men shall dream dreams : 

18. And on my servants and on my 
handmaidens I will pour out hi those 
days of my Spirit ; and they shall proph- 
esy: 

19. And I will show wonders in heaven 
above, and signs in the earth beneath; 
blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke : 

20. The sun shall be turned into dark- 
ness, and the moon into blood, before 
that great and notable day of the Lord 
come: 



21. And it shall come to pass, that 
whosoever shall call on the name of the 
Lord shall be saved. 

22. Ye men of Israel, hear these words ; 
Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of 
God among you by miracles and wonders 
and signs, which God did by him in the 
midst of you, as ye yourselves also 
know: 

23. Him, being delivered by the deter- 
minate counsel and foreknowledge of 
God. ye have taken, and by wicked 
hands have crucified and slain: 

24. Whom God hath raised up. having 
loosed the pains of death: because it 
was not possible that he should be 
holden of it. 

25. For David speaketh concerning 
him. I foresaw the Lord always before 
my face ; for he Is on my right hand, 
that I should not be moved : 

26. Therefore did my heart rejoice, 
and my tongue was glad ; moreover also 
my flesh shall rest in hope : 

27. Because thou wilt not leave my 
soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer 
thine Holy One to see corruption. 

28. Thou hast made known to me the 
ways of lif e ; thou shalt make me full of 
joy with thy countenance. 



Yer. 12. TJiey were all amazed and were in doubt. — They were so 
astonished and bewildered, that they did not know what to say or to 
do. The more thoughtful in the great assembly inquired, one of 
another, " What rneaneth this ? " They earnestly sought an explana- 
tion of so unusual a phenomenon. 

Yer. 13. Others mocking said. — There is, in every community, a 
class ready to scoff at religious things, and especially to turn into 
ridicule any unusual demonstrations of divine power. The arrows of 
truth are often warded off by a mocking spirit ; and cavilling ripens 
into a habit that is destructive to the soul's dearest and eternal 
interests. 

TJiese men are full of new wine. — Thus the scoffers account for this 
great miracle. This is their solution of the perplexing question, 
"What rneaneth this? " Such a charge is utterly devoid of reason, 
and almost self-contradictory. By new wine, was usually meant the 
sweet, unf ermented juice of the grape ; but the term was also applied 
to old wine preserved in its original state. 

Yer. 14. Peter standing up with the eleven. — They all stood up 
together to bear their testimony to the Messiah, and to refute the 
slander that had been uttered. Peter, probably the first called to be 



56 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 

an apostle (Matt. iv. 18; Mark iii. 5), impulsive in his nature, bold 
and eloquent, takes the lead. He stands up, with the manly dignity 
and force of one who is under the strongest convictions of the truth. 

Said unto them. — It may he that the other apostles spoke subse- 
quently, to the same effect, in the various languages of those present. 
But Peter's address is the only one recorded, and he was doubtless 
the chief speaker. He "lifted up his voice," so that the thousands 
before him could distinctly hear and understand his earnest words. 
His voice, his manner, and solemn, distinct utterances, revealed his 
entire sobriety to all before him. 

Ye men of Judoza, &c. — These opening words are designed to call 
the attention of the assembly to the important truths that are to be 
communicated. They are entreated to listen, and treasure up the 
knowledge in their hearts. Lange says, " He spoke, undoubtedly, in 
the Aramaean, the language of the country, which all the hearers 
could understand." 

Yer. 15. These are not drunken. — He repels the charge by refer- 
ring to the early hour of the day, it being but the third hour, that is, 
between eight and nine o'clock by our time. The Jews divided the 
day, from sunrise to sunset, into twelve hours. The third, sixth, and 
ninth hours were set apart for public worship. It was a rule, with the 
Jews, not to eat or drink before the hour for morning prayer. Hence 
the improbability of any one being intoxicated at so early an hour. 
Besides, the "sweet wine" referred to would intoxicate only when 
taken in great excess. The coolness and discretion of Peter, in his 
reply, are worthy of notice. He does not charge the scoffers with 
malicious slander; but judiciously reasons with them, that they may 
see their error. 

Yek. 16. But this is that, &c. — He now affirms what the event 
is that has so excited their amazement. It is nothing less than a ful- 
filment of the divine promise made through the prophet Joel, eight 
centuries before. (See Joel ii. 28-32.) The prophecy was familiar to 
the Jews, and was calculated to make a deep impression upon the 
serious portion of the audience. The citation was the more striking, 
as the words had just been read in the Pentecostal service of the 
synagogue. 

YerT 17. In the last days, &c. — " In the original it reads, ' after 
these things,' a general expression pointing to an indistinct future. 
Peter, under the inspiration of God, defines it, by so altering the 
language in the quotation as to read, 'in the last days,' by which he 
shows that this is the last dispensation ; and that this event, and the 
outpouring of the Spirit, is the beginning of the end. In ver. 29, 
accordingly, this is connected with the dissolution of the world as the 
completion of the last days." — Jacobus. "All the days of the new 
covenant," says Bengel, "are the last days, and these are already far 
advanced." 

I will pour out of my Spirit. — The figure of pouring out as water, or 
rain, was often used as expressing the gift of the Holy Spirit (see 
Prov. i. 23; Isa. xliv. 3; Zech. xii. 10). In this case it was not given 
in drops, as under the ancient dispensation, but in copious showers, 
or streams, "which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ 
our Saviour" (Tit. iii. 6). 

Upon all flesh. — Upon all classes of men, without distinction of age, 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS, 1876. 57 

sex, or nation. As the rivers of salvation shall flow everywhere, so 
copious showers of the Divine Spirit shall fall, and converts be mul- 
tiplied, until "all flesh shall seethe salvation of God." The fulfil- 
ment of this promise was not confined to the day of Pentecost ; but it 
is fulfilled in every season of revival, and in every work of grace in the 
hearts of men. 

And your sons and your' daughters shall prophesy. — A prophet was 
one who foretold future events, or was a teacher of the doctrines and 
duties of religion, or received special powers from G-od. In these 
gifts, females were to share, as well as males. Under the Jewish dis- 
pensation there were prophetesses ; as, Miriam the sister of Aaron 
(Exod. xvi. 20), Deborah who judged Israel ( Judg. iv. 4), and Huldah 
who lived in the reign of Josiah, and was consulted by the priests 
(2 Kings xxii. 14-20). In the New Testament we find Anna, a 
prophetess, teaching the people (Luke ii. 36-38) ; and Philip the evan- 
gelist had four daughters "who did prophesy" (Acts xxi. 8, 9). 

Your young men shall see visions. — G-od often made revelations to 
his servants by visions. There was the vision of Isaiah which he saw 
concerning Judah (Isa. i. 1), the vision of dry bones beheld by Ezekiel 
(Ezek. xxxvii. 8). Micah saw the word of the Lord concerning Samaria 
and Jerusalem (Mic. i. 1); and St. John records in the Book of 
Eevelation "all things that he saw" (Eev. i. 2). The Lord spake to 
Ananias in a vision (Acts ix. 10), whom Paul "saw in a vision" 
(Acts ix. 11, 12). Cornelius saw in a vision the angel of God coming 
to him (Acts x. 3). 

Your old men shall dream dreams. — Another medium of com- 
municating the divine will was through dreams. The angel of the 
Lord spake to Jacob in a dream (Gen. xxxi. 11). Thus God came to 
Laban (Gen. xxxi. 24). All are familiar with Joseph's dream (Gen. 
xxxvii. 5) and Pharaoh's dream (Gen. xli. 1). See also Matt. i. 20, 
ii. 19, &c. The idea is, that God would reveal himself to all classes, 
male and female, young and old. 

Veb. 18. Servants and handmaidens. — Even persons of servile 
condition, and all in the humblest walks of life, are included in these 
promises. They may become the Lord's freemen, and honored ser- 
vants of Christ. 

Vers. 19, 20. And I will shoio wonders, &c. — In these verses we 
have a vivid presentation of the terrible judgments with which the 
enemies of God will be visited. The Pentecostal fire, that quickened 
and inspired God's servants, will be turned into the "fire of judg- 
ment" (Isa. x. 17); and instead of this day of grace will come the 
day of God's wrath. " These wonders of wrath were foreshadowed 
when Israel nailed his king to the cross ; for the sun was then turned 
into darkness. These wonders were repeated with still more power 
at the destruction of Jerusalem. Blood, fire, and vapor of smoke filled 
the city. The light of the moon became red as blood when it fell 
upon the pools of blood in the streets ; and the sun has, since that 
day, withheld its healthful light from that desolated country." — 
Lange. But when the Lord shall have subdued the nations, and all 
things shall have been put under his feet, then will these tokens be 
repeated on a far wider scale, and with a more terrible significance. 

Ver. 21. Wliosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be 
saved. — How wide and far-reaching is this proclamation of mercy ! 



58 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 

Over how many classes of sinners, and degrees of sin, does it fly as an 
angel of hope ! How simple is the condition of salvation ! — " Call upon 
the name of the Lord." " Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ." " For 
there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek; for the same 
Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him " (Bom. x. 12). 

Veb. 22. Ye men of Israel. — Peter now goes on to show that 
Jesus of Nazareth is this Lord referred to in the prophecies; that he 
is the true Messiah whom they should believe in and accept. 

A man approved of God among you. — Rather, a man demonstrated, 
or accredited unto you, as being what he claimed to be, "by miracles, 
and wonders, and signs, which God did by him." Xone but God the 
Father, whom you believe in and worship, could have done these 
miracles. Christ himself attributes his miracles indiscriminately to 
the operation of the Father (John v. 30, 30). and to his own power 
(John ii. 11), thus presenting his perfect unity with the Father. He 
declares, " He that hath seen me hath seen the Father. Believest 
thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me ? " 

As ye yourselves know. — Tou are as well acquainted with these 
facts as we are. These miracles were not performed in a corner, but 
publicly in the presence of multitudes of the people. The Jews did 
not deny the reality of these miracles, which from their hostility to 
Jesus they would gladly have done ; but, while admitting them, either 
ascribed them to the agency of Beelzebub (Matt. ix. 34), or charged 
him with breaking the sabbath by working them (John v. 16). 

Yeb. 23. Him being delivered. — The crucifixion of Christ was not 
an event that happened by chance, or by a power wrested from the 
hands of the Father, but "by the determinate counsel and fore- 
knowledge of God." It was in accordance with the divine plan. It 
was foreknown. God's knowledge extends to all events, past, present, 
and future. Omniscience is an essential attribute of his divine being. 
It was by the definite counsel, or determination, of God, who is gov- 
erned in all his acts by infinite wisdom and goodness. Our Saviour, 
in speaking of his approaching death, says, "And truly the Son of 
man goeth as it was determined" (Luke xxii. 22). 

Ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified. — God's secret 
determination did not affect their freedom of action. They volun- 
tarily, prompted by their evil passions, took Christ, and by their 
wicked hands crucified him. They knew that they acted without 
any compulsion, and that the guilt of this deed rested upon them. 
The doctrines of God's decrees and man's free agency are both dis- 
tinctly taught in the Holy Scriptures. God must be a sovereign, 
doing his will in the armies of heaven, and among the inhabitants of 
earth, in order to maintain his throne, and fulfil his benevolent 
designs ; in order, in fact, to be God. Man must be free in order to 
be a reasonable and accountable being, capable of serving God, and 
attaining the highest happiness. If any persons cannot harmonize 
these two doctrines, this is not proof that they cannot be harmonized. 
To destroy either would be fatal to God's moral kingdom. 

Yee. 24. Mlwm God hath raised up. — The apostle shows the great 
importance he attaches to the doctrine of Christ's resurrection, by 
discoursing so fully upon it in the verses that follow. The two main 
points he presents are, first, the fact of the resurrection; and, 
secondly, that it was in accordance with the well-known prophecy of 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS, 1876. 59 

David. This doctrine is the keystone to the arch that sustains the 
whole system of Christian truth. It gives significance and power to 
the sufferings and death of Christ, and completeness to his whole 
history as supernatural and divine. 

Having loosed the pains of death. — Although commentators differ, 
yet many are of the opinion that the Greek word translated " pains " 
should be translated "bonds," "and that reference is had to the 
situation of the dead, and of Christ in the grave; as if bound 
down under the chains of death, and restrained from rising again to 
life. In the resurrection of Christ, God loosed, dissolved, these bonds, 
and let the captive of death go free." " For it was not possible he 
should be holden of it" It was not possible, because his resurrection 
had been predicted, and "he had life iu himself " (John v. 26), and 
was the "Prince of life." 

Ver. 25. For David speaketh concerning him. — The reference the 
apostle makes is to the prophecy concerning the resurrection of Christ 
contained in Ps. xvi. 8-11. Here David speaks in the person of 
the Messiah, though a part of the language is expressive of his own 
feelings. 

I foresaw (saw) the Lord always before me. — I had a continual sense 
of his presence, and an abiding faith in him, and a love that led me 
ever to repose in perfect confidence upon him ; surely a most desir- 
able and delightful state of mind for us all to attain. 

For he is on my right hand. — The right hand is the position of 
power and honor (see Ps. ex. 1, exxi. 5). The Lord is his supporter 
and defender. .He is near to act at once in his behalf. That I should 
not be moved ; that is, he would not be alarmed or agitated by any 
calamity, or overcome by any temptation. He expresses the same 
feeling in Ps. exxv. 1: "They that trust in the Lord shall be as 
Mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth forever." There 
is also the sweet assurance, " Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace 
whose mind is stayed on thee, because he trusteth in thee " (Isa. 
xxvi. 3). 

Ver. 26. Therefore did my heart rejoice. — A successful termination 
of severe conflicts is a source of great joy. In the presence of God 
there is fulness of joy. 

My flesh shall rest in hope. — " My flesh will not be dissipated or cor- 
rupted, but will calmly rest in the hope and expectation of rising 
again." The language is expressive of not simply the possibility, but 
the certainty, of a resurrection. Those who fall asleep in Jesus have 
the assurance, that, though with them dust returns to dust, yet the day 
is coming when corruption shall put on incorruption, and the mortal 
put on immortality. 

Ver. 27. Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell. — Or, hades, 
a general term for the state of disembodied spirits, or of the invisible 
world, without reference to the happiness or misery. There is another 
term, Gehenna, which means hell as a place of fiery punishment (see 
Matt. v. 22; Luke xii. 5). In reference to Christ, the triumphal 
expression is used: " Thou wilt not leave me among the dead." 

Neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. — The Scrip- 
tures apply these words to the Lord Jesus Christ, and to no one else. 
All others are consigned to dust and corruption. The Holy One shall 
not decay, or return to dust, but shall spring to life again. 



60 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 

Yee. 28. Thou hast made known to me the ways of life. — Thou hast 
opened to me the paths from death to life. Also, all the ways in 
which Christ walked in his humiliation and exaltation were paths 
of life to those who believe in him, — paths to immortal life and 
happiness. 

Thou shalt make me full of joy. — The glorious termination of a life 
of sacrifice and love. " Who, for the joy that was set before him, 
endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right 
hand of the throne of G-od" (Heb. xii. 2). 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS, 1876. 61 

LESSON IV. — April 23. 

The Early Christian Church. — Acts ii. 37-47. 



37. IF Now when they heard this, they 
were pricked in their heart, and said unto 
Peter and to the rest of the apostles, 
Men and brethren, what shall we do? 

38. Then Peter said unto them, Repent, 
and be baptized every one of you in the 
name of Jesus Christ for the remission 
of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of 
the Holy Ghost. 

39. For the promise is unto you, and 
to your children, and to all that are afar 
off. even as many as the Lord our God 
shall call. 

40. And with manv other words did he 



42. And they continued steadfastly in 
the apostles' "doctrine and fellowship, 
and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. 

43. And fear came upon every soul: 
and many wonders and signs were done 
by the apostles. 

"44. And all that believed were together, 
and had all things common ; 

45. And sold their possessions and 
goods, and parted them to all men, as 
every man had need. 

46." And they, continuing daily with 
one accord in "the temple, and breaking 
bread from house to house, did eat their 



testify and exhort, saying, Save your- meat with gladness and singleness of 



selves from this untoward generation 

41. IT Then they that gladly received 
his word were baptized: and the same 
day there were added unto them about 
three thousand souls. 



heart, 

47. Praising God. and having favor 
with all the people. And the Lord 
added to the church daily such as should 
be saved. 



Peter, in closing his address, made the following impressive appeal 
to the understanding of his hearers: "Therefore let all the house of 
Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom 
ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ " (Acts ii. 36), He has 
demonstrated to them from the Scriptures, from the signs and won- 
ders they had seen and heard, and from fulfilled prophecies, that Jesus 
Christ is the Messiah. He appeals to their hearts and consciences, 
by showing them their sin in crucifying him, and pointing out the 
way of salvation through the same Jesus, whom God hath made both 
Lord and Christ. The testimony, therefore, is complete, that Jesus 
Christ lives, and is exalted to heaven, and has fulfilled his promise to 
give the Holy Spirit, " which ye now see and hear." 

Yer. 7. When they heard this, they were "pricked in their heart. — 
The truth to which they had listened, like a sharp-pointed instrument, 
pierced their hearts, and caused them pain. They saw in a new light 
the part they had taken in the crucifixion of Christ. They were con- 
vinced that this person was the adorable Messiah. They saw their 
danger in having incurred the displeasure of the Almighty. They 
had the sense of sin, that is the beginning of repentance. 

Men and brethren, what shall we do f — How great and sudden was 
the change wrought in their feelings towards the disciples of Christ ! — 
no longer despised Galileans, or drunk with wine, but brethren, 
asked to point out to them the way of escape from the wrath of God. 

Ver. 38. Repent, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. — 
Peter followed the instructions of his Lord, who said, just before his 
ascension, that repentance and remission of sins should be preached 
in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem (Luke xxiv. 
47). True repentance involves deep sorrow for sin, and the purpose 
to break off from every sinful course, and lead a life of holy obedience 



Q'2 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 

to God, with a humble reliance upon divine help. By receiving bap- 
tism they express their faith in Christ as the Messiah, and consecrate 
themselves to his service. They had some knowledge of the rite of 
baptism; so that it vras not necessary to explain this ordinance to 
them. 

For the remission of sins. — "We are not released from our sins, or 
pardoned, through the ordinance of baptism, but by the power of 
Christ, in whose name we are baptized. His love and mercy are the 
sources of our forgiveness. And ye shall receive the gift of the Holy 
Ghost. If they had exercised true repentance and faith, these were 
the result of the influence of the Spirit on their hearts. But they 
should receive the gift in full measure, as it was then poured out 
upon believers. For the promises of the sifts of the Spirit, see John 
xvi. 8-10: Gal. v. 22-24. 

Yee. 39. For the promise is unto you. Szc. — The promise of the 
Spirit was the great promise of the Old Testament. This gift, with 
all its attendant spiritual blessings, is promised to them and to their 
children, and to all that are afar off; to the scattered Jews and 
heathen nations, even as many as God shall call into the kingdom of 
the Messiah. How far the niercv of God reaches, appears from John 
x. 16; Gal. hi. 28: Eph. ii. 14-17: Bom. x. 11, 12. 

Tee. 40. And v:ith many oilier words did he testify and exhort. — 
The whole discourse of Feter is not given to us by Luke. Following 
the line of argument already indicated, the preacher continued to 
accumulate testimony, and to press the truth home, with fervent 
exhortations, upon the hearts and consciences of his hearers. — " Save 
yourselves from this untoward generation." Separate yourselves from 
those of this crooked or evil generation, who reject and oppose the 
Messiah. Withdraw from their wicked influence ; cling to the truth, 
and follow Christ. The Holy Spirit cannot dwell in a soul that yields 
to the corrupting influences of society. 

Vee. 41. They that gladly received the icord icere baptized. — The 
gospel is good news, — glad tidings ; and those who receive it as such, 
and cordially embrace its truths and hopes, are ready to receive bap- 
tism, and thus profess their faith to the world. On this memorable 
day about three thousand souls, or persons, were added to the Chris- 
tian Church. The conviction of this multitude was instantaneous ; 
their repentance was immediate and sincere, followed by true faith in 
Christ, and the administration of the ordinance of baptism. Such 
was the divine blessing that followed one faithful gospel sermon. 
Oh for similar outpourings of the Holy Spirit upon our congrega- 
tions, who listen sabbath after sabbath to the truth as it is in Jesus ! 

Yee. 42. And they continued steadfastly, &c. — We have here a 
description of the Christian life of these newly converted persons. 
Four essential elements of Christian unity and devotion are men- 
tioned. 1st, They steadfastly adhered to the doctrines taught by the 
apostles, that they might become firmly established in the truth. 
They accepted their teachings as the immovable foundation on which 
'* all the building, fitly framed together, groweth unto a holy temple in 
the Lord" (Eph. ii. 21). 2d. They maintained Christian fellowship, 
being bound together by warm sympathy and love. Thus they mani- 
fested the Christian law, that "every one that loveth him that begat 
loveth him also that is begotten of liim"' (1 John v. 1). 3d, They 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS, 1876. 63 

adhered to the religious meals, which were concluded with the Lord's 
Supper, thus deriving encouragement and strength from these im- 
portant means of grace. 4th, The} 7 attended to the duty of prayer, 
without which none can grow in grace, or in the knowledge of the 
Lord. "Pray without ceasing," is the command to all the disciples 
of Jesus. This, too, is the highest privilege of man. 

Ver. 43. And fear came upon every soul. — A religious awe spread 
over the entire community. Those who had derided the apostles 
were silenced by the tokens of the divine presence and power, by 
which they were surrounded. They had heard of the judgments with 
which the rebellious Jews in the past had been visited; and they 
had reason to fear a repetition of them upon themselves. 

Ver. 44. All that believed were together, and had all things common. 
— They met together in the temple, and in private houses, for the 
worship of God. They formed a distinct society, having common 
sympathies and interests. Those who remained in Jerusalem after 
the feast may for a time have met at the same place, or in different 
bands in various parts of the city. Their Christian love led them also 
to part with their property, to relieve the needy. This "community 
of goods " among the primitive Christians had no resemblance to the 
modern fanatical idea of "communism," that brings all down to the 
same level. Dr. Bloomfield says, "Some of the rich sold their prop- 
erty, in order to have more to give immediately to their poorer breth- 
ren ; but the money accruing thence did not cease to be at their own 
disposal" (see Acts v. 4). That all did not sell their property, is 
apparent from the fact, that, soon afterwards, there were rich and poor 
among the Christians. Dorcas had property that enabled her to be 
" full of good works and alms-deeds " (Acts ix. 36. See also Acts xi. 
29, xx. 35; 1 Cor. xvi. 1, 2). 

Ver. 45. Sold their possessions, &c. — As far as it was necessary to 
meet the necessities of their poorer brethren. Barnes says, "The 
passage does not mean that they sold all their possessions, or that 
they relinquished their title to all their property; but they so far 
regarded all as common, as to be willing to part with it, if it was 
needed, to supply the wants of others." 

Ver. 46. Continued dally with one accord in the temple. — We have 
an account of three appointed hours for prayer. (See Ps. lv. 18; Dan. 
6, 11). The regular hours in the temple were usually but two: at 
nine o'clock in the morning, called the "third hour;" and three 
o'clock in the afternoon, called the "ninth hour." Peter and John 
went up at the ninth hour for prayer (Acts iii. 1). They met with 
one accord, that is, in pious harmony, to unite their earnest suppli- 
cations to God. 

Breaking bread from house to house, — i.e., in their homes, as dis- 
tinct from the temple, they celebrated the Lord's Supper. Mention is 
made of the church in the house, in Kom. xvi. 5 ; 1 Cor. xvi. 19 ; Col. 
iv. 15). Their private dwellings were consecrated as temples of the 
living God. They "did eat their meat with gladness." Religion 
was their constant joy, and diffused happiness through the whole 
family circle. The humblest fare awakened their gratitude and 
thanksgiving to the Source of every blessing. 

Ver. 47. Praising God. — Besides praising him for common mer- 
cies, they "were habitually occupied in acts and services of social 



64 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 

praise. The early Christians are described by Pliny, in the opening of 
the second century, as singing hymns to Christ with each other." 
Paul exhorts the Colossians to admonish " one another in psalms 
and hymns and spiritual songs, singing, with grace in your hearts, to 
the Lord" (Col. iii. 16. See also Eph. v. 19). 

The Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved. — Rather 
the saved, or those who were saved. The harmony, the brotherly 
kindness, the cheerfulness, of these Christians, impressed others with 
the beauty and excellencies of the religion of Jesus, and were agen- 
cies, blessed of G-od, to bring them into the fold. In the absence of a 
Christian literature, such as abounds in our day, they were living 
epistles known and read of all men. Their lives and characters were 
ministers of the gospel to the perishing around them. 

Thus the establishment of the Pentecostal Church was the com- 
mencement of a new period in the kingdom of God. It was new in 
the manner in which it was founded ; new in the inner unity, love, 
and joy, and in the outer life, of its members ; new in its spiritual 
influences upon society and the world. 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS, 187G. 



65 



LESSON Y. — April 30. 
The Lame Man Healed. — Acts iii. 1-11. 



1. Now Peter and John went up to- 
gether into the temple at the hour of 
pi aver, being the ninth hour. 

2. And a certain man lame from his 
mother's womb was carried, whom they 
laid daily at the gate of the temple 
which is called Beautiful, to ask alms 
of them that entered into the temple ; 

3. Who, seeing Peter and John about 
to go into the temple, asked an alms. 

4. And Peter, fastening Ins eyes upon 
him with John, said, Look on us. 

5. And he gave heed unto them, ex- 
pecting to receive sometliing of them. 

6. Then Peter said. Silver and gold 
have I none ; but such as I have give I 
thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of 
Nazareth rise up and walk. 

7. And he took him by the right hand, 



and lifted him up : and immediately his 
feet and ankle bones received strength. 

8. And he leaping up stood, and 
walked, and entered with them into 
the temple, walking, and leaping, and 
praising God. 

9. And all the people saw him walk- 
ing and praising God : 

10. And they knew that it was he 
which sat for alms at the Beautiful gate 
of the temple : and they were filled with 
wonder and amazement at that which 
had happened unto him. 

11 . And as the lame man which was 
healed held Peter and John.all the peo- 
ple ran together unto them in the porch 
that is called Solomon's, greatly wonder- 
ing. 



In the scenes of the last lesson, we have the fulfilment of Christ's 
promise to the believer, "Greater works than these shall he do, 
because I go unto the Father" (John xiv. 12). In this lesson we 
have the fulfilment of another promise found in Mark xvi. 18. 

Yer. 1. Peter and John went up together. — These two apostles, 
though differing in age and character, are yet closely united in Chris- 
tian friendship, and often appear together. They remind us that 
Christ sent forth his disciples "by two and two" (Mark vi. 7), and 
afford a commendable example of ministerial unity and friendship. 
They went up to "the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth 
hour," or three o'clock in the afternoon. It was the custom of the 
apostles and Jewish Christians, when in Jerusalem, to attend at the 
regular hours of prayer in the temple, which was the sanctuary for 
the entire nation. They did not entertain the thought of withdraw- 
ing from the services of the ancient religion, and establishing a new 
sect; but they participated in these services with as much punctu- 
ality and earnestness as any others. In their private homes, however, 
tbey formed a society by themselves, celebrating here the Lord's 
Supper, and engaging in forms of devotion that in time developed 
into Christian worship. 

Yer. 2. A man lame from his mother's womb. — Hence the miracle 
wrought upon him was the greater, and there was no room for decep- 
tion. The friends of this man were in the habit of carrying him 
daily to this spot in the morning, and carrying him back at evening. 
As there were no hospitals or almshouses before the introduction of 
Christianity, the Jews and Gentiles were accustomed to place beggars 
at the portals of temples, or at the gates of the rich, as in the case of 
Lazarus (Luke xvi. 20). Persons passing in and out of the temple 
might be supposed, under the influence of their devotions, to con- 
tribute liberally to the suffering poor. 



GQ EXPLANATORY NOTES. 

At the gate called Beautiful. — This is the only source of informa- 
tion that we have of a gate bearing that name. Josephus mentions 
nine gates covered with silver and gold, and describes one called Nica- 
nor's Gate ; the most magnificent and costly of all. covered with bass- 
relief lily-work of Corinthian brass. It formed the eastern entrance 
to the temple, towards Kedron, fronting the entrance to the holy 
place, or the sanctuary. Being more frequented than any other, the 
lame man was laid at this particular gate. 

Vet.. 3. Seeing Peter and John, asked an alms. — It did not enter the 
mind of the poor cripple, to ask for any thing more than a mere pit- 
tance to help him in his infirmity. He did not know that he was 
addressing the special servants of God. who delights to give exceeding 
abundantly above all that we ask. or even think. 

Vee. 4. Peter fastened his eyes upon him. — Being moved by the 
pitiable and helpless conditiou of the cripple, he. with John, looked 
upon him with that tender sympathy that is produced by the love of 
Jesus in the heart. Look on us. — This was said to gain his confidence, 
and awaken his hope that something was to be done in his behalf. 

Vee. 5. He gave heed unto them. — It was an unusual occurrence for 
those who cast a mite at his feet to stop and look upon him. and 
make such a request as Peter did. Their interest awakened his inter- 
est, and doubtless excited his expectation of receiving a large sum of 
money. Christ says to the perishing. " Look unto me, and be saved."' 
Faithful pastors say to the spiritually poor and blind. "Look on us." 
'"We are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by 
us: we prav vou. in Christ's stead, be ve reconciled to God"' (2 Cor. 
v. 20). 

Tee. 6. Silver and gold have I none. — This is apostolic, "as poor, 
yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all 
thing- "" 2 Cor. vi. 10). " Peter, though poor in gold, was richer than 
all the rich : richer than all who bear dazzling titles, and receive large 
incomes. He possessed faith in the power of the name of Jesus 
Christ, and with this he accomplished far more than if Christ had 
assigned to him the revenue of a kingdom, or an ecclesiastical terri- 
tory, as his wages. "' — Gossner. 

Bid such as I have give Lthee. — Peter at once extinguishes, in the 
cripple's mind, the hope of obtaining money: but he gives him what 
he has. Freely he has received : freely he gives. 

In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk. — " And 
his name shall be called Wonderful;' 3 wonderful in grace and power. 
A wonderful blessing to those who can thus use it! Peter's faith 
prompts him to thus speak to the cripple. Faith, united to the name 
of Jesus, can do all things. Xo one can estimate the loss of power 
to the members of the church, through want of faith. 

Tees. 7. 6. And he took him by the right hand. — Acts must accom- 
pany words. The human unites with the divine. And lifted him up. 
— In that moment the lame man's limbs were touched, as by an 
electric shock, and he received strength from the Almighty. He leaps 
with a freedom that he never before felt. He can stand, and he can 
walk. His restoration is instantaneous and complete. The prophecy 
is literally fulfilled, "The lame man shall leap as a hart" (Isa. 
xxxv. 6.) 

And entered ivilh them into the temple. — He does not hasten to his 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS, 1876. 67 

home, but first enters, with his benefactors, the sanctuary of God, to 
give thanks and praises for the divine goodness so signally shown to 
him. He walked about the court of the temple, leaping, and praising 
God. 

Veb. 9. All the people saiv him. — The priests, and the people who 
had assembled at that hour for prayer, saw the miracle that had been 
wrought. It was not done in a corner, but was a public spectacle for 
all to look upon. It was designed to affect others, as well as the 
individual who was healed. 

Ver. 10. And they knew that it was he which sat for alms. — Of this 
fact there was not the slightest doubt. They had often seen the 
cripple stationed at the gate ; and they recognize the very same, in 
the happy man now before them. The man is now forty years old 
(Acts iv. 22), and has been lame from his birth. The event creates 
the most profound amazement among the spectators. One design of 
the miracle was to astonish them ; to arouse their attention to the 
power and blessings of Christianity, that they might seek them for 
themselves. 

Yee. 11. The man held Peter and John. — He clung to them with 
strong affection, and thus testified to all who were present, that these 
were his benefactors. The news of the miracle spread rapidly ; and " all 
the people ran together unto them in the porch that is called Solomon's." 
The temple was surrounded by a range of cloisters, above which were 
galleries supported by pillars of white marble, each pillar being a sin- 
gle block of stone twenty-five cubits in height. The colonnade, or 
series of columns, and gallery, that fronted the Mount of Olives on 
the east, was called Solomon's Porch, because it stood on a vast ter- 
race which he had originally raised from a valley beneath, by a wall 
five hundred feet in height, of solid masonry. It was the only part 
of Solomon's original work which remained in the second temple." — 
Peirce. Here where the apostles often met (Acts v. 12), and where 
Jesus walked (John x. 23), the crowd flocked, filled with astonishment 
at what they saw had taken place. 



68 



EXPLANATORY NOTES. 



LESSON VI. — May 7. 



The Powee of Jesus' Name. — Acts iii. 12-26. 



12. If And when Peter saw it, he an- 
swered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, 
why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so 
earnestly on us, as though by our own 
power or holiness we had made this man 
to walk? 

13. The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, 
and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, 
hath glorified Iris Son Jesus ; whom ye 
delivered up, and denied him in the 
presence of Pilate, when he was deter- 
mined to let him go. 

14. But ye denied the Holy One and 
the Just, and desired a murderer to be 
granted unto you ; 

15. And killed the Prince of life, whom 
God hath raised from the dead; whereof 
we are witnesses. 

16. And his name, through faith in his 
name, hath made this manstrong, whom 
ye see and know : yea. the faith which 
is by him hath given him this perfect 
soundness in the presence of you all. 

17. And now, brethren, I wot that 
through ignorance ye did it, as did also 
your rulers. 

18. But those things, which God before 
had showed by the mouth of all his 
prophets, that Christ should suffer, he 
hath so fulfilled. 

19. IF Repent ye therefore, and be con- 
verted, that your sins may be blotted 



out, when the times of refreshing shall 
come from the presence of the Lord ; 

20. And he shall send Jesus Christ, 
which before was preached unto you : 

21. Whom the heaven must receive 
until the times of restitution of all 
things, which God hath spoken by the 
mouth of all his holy prophets since the 
world began. 

22. For Moses truly said unto the 
fathers. A prophet shall the Lord your 
God raise up mito you of your brethren, 
like unto me ; him shall ye hear in all 
things whatsoever he shall say unto you. 

23. And it shall come to pass, that 
every soul, which will not hear that 
prophet, shall be destroyed from among 
the people. 

24. Yea, and all the prophets from 
Samuel and those that follow after, aa 
many as have spoken, have likewise 
foretold of these days. 

25. Ye are the children of the prophets, 
and of the covenant which God made 
with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, 
And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of 
the earth be blessed. 

26. Unto you first God, having raised 
up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, 
in turning away every one of you from 
his iniquities. 



After the lame man had "been healed, and Peter noticed the aston- 
ishment and excitement that the event had awakened in the minds of 
the people, he delivered to them the following address, which consists 
of two parts, — 1st, explanations concerning the Author and pur- 
pose of the miracle (vers. 12-18) ; 2d, an exhortation to repentance 
and conversion, that their sins may be blotted out, and that they may 
secure the privileges and blessings of the covenant that God made 
with Abraham and their fathers. 

Yer. 12. Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this ? — Why are you, 
men of Israel, who have seen signs and wonders from God, so aston- 
ished at this event ? Why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our 
own power, by a miraculous energy residing in us, or by our holiness, 
we had made this man to walk ? We disclaim the possession of all such 
power, or such meritorious ability of the soul. The work is purely of 
God, and to him belongs all the glory. 

Yer. 13. The God of Abraham hath glorified his Son. — Their false 
impressions being removed, Peter now sets forth the truth by bringing 
before their minds the Author of the miracle, and its design and sig- 
nificance. The God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, the same 
God who revealed himself through their fathers, now reveals himself 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS, 1876. 69 

to us through his Son. The old covenant, in the advantages of which 
they participated, was the type and foundation of the new covenant, 
the higher blessings of which are now offered to them. 

Whom ye delivered up and denied. — Peter had himself denied his 
Master; but having repented, and received forgiveness, "he had great 
boldness in rebuking others for this sin. They denied him in the 
presence of Pilate, in the presence of a heathen governor who sought to 
release him. Their sin and guilt are the more marked, as they pressed 
the murder of the Messiah against the wishes of a Pagan ivho was deter- 
mined to let him go (see Luke xxiii. 16; John xix. 4). Pilate made five 
distinct, and, as we believe, sincere efforts, to save Jesus, in the face 
of the storm of passion and the wild cries of Israel, "Away with him, 
crucify him!" 

Yeb. 14. Ye denied the Holy One, and desired a murderer. — This 
was another element of the enormity of their sin, that when Christ, 
the Holy One and the Just, and Barabbas the murderer, were pre- 
sented to them, they chose the latter. The contrast of these repre- 
sentative characters is strongly put, that they may see themselves as 
God sees them. The title of Jesus, "the Holy One," is found in 
Ps. xvi. 10, and cited in Acts ii. 27. Stephen called him " the Just 
One" (Acts vii. 52), and Ananias, in Acts xxii. 14. This title of the 
Messiah the audience would easily recognize, and see what they had 
done in demanding the crucifixion of such a holy being, and calling 
for the release of a robber, a leader of sedition, and a murderer. 

Yeb. 15. And killed the Prince of life. — Ye chose a murderer, one 
who took away life, and killed the Author, or Source of life (comp. 
John v. 21, 25, 26). Christ says of himself, " I am the way, the truth, 
and the life " ( John xiv. 6). The term " prince " means " leader," as in 
Isa. lv. 4: " Behold, I have given him for a leader and commander to 
the people." Christ is called in Acts v. 31 " a Prince and a Saviour ; " 
and, in Heb. ii. 10, the " Prince, or Captain of salvation." He is the 
Prince of life, because he introduced into the world spiritual and 
eternal life (John i. 4), and guides his followers to this glorious life in 
his Father's kingdom. 

~W~hom God hath raised from the dead. — His resurrection is the proof 
that he is the "Prince of life." In raising him from the dead, the 
God of Abraham their father put upon his work his divine seal. Of 
this great essential truth of the new dispensation, Peter says, " we 
are witnesses." 

Yee. 16. Through faith in his name. — In accounting for this 
miracle, Peter declares that it was wrought by the divine power of 
Him whom they had wickedly put to death, but who was now active 
in the world as the risen Saviour. Faith in his name was the means ; 
and the name, or the being represented by the name, was the efficient 
cause. Without the exercise of the divine power of the Prince of life, 
the lame man would not have been cured. Without the faith of the 
apostles in that power, he would not have been cured. There may 
have been awakened in the mind of the cripple a faith, or at least con- 
fidence in Christ, at the moment Peter called upon him in the name 
of Jesus Christ to rise up and walk. He had probably heard of him 
before, if he had not seen him. Of his faith after he was healed, 
there can be no doubt. 

The faith which is by him.—" The faith in himself, which Jesus had 



70 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 

produced in their minds by his teachings, miracles, promises, and by 
his Spirit," hath given him this perfect soundness, this complete cure, 
in the presence of you all. The miracle was as clear as the sunlight 
to all whom he addressed. It could not be denied. It could not be 
reasoned away. 

Yee. 17. And now, brethren. — Notwithstanding their guilt, he 
addresses them in a strain of conciliation and tenderness. I wot, — 
I am well aware, — through ignorance ye did it : as Christ himself said 
on the cross, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they 
do" (Luke xxiii. 34) ; and as Paul said of the rulers, "For, had they 
known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory" (1 Cor. 
ii. 8). Speaking of his own persecutions, he says, " I obtained mercy, 
because I did it ignorantly in unbelief" (1 Tim. i. 13). In his case, 
however, as with those whom Peter addressed, this unbelief was 
sinful. Their pride and prejudices kept them from the light and 
knowledge, that would have produced belief. Men are often guilty 
for their ignorance, as well as for the wicked deeds that ignorance 
leads them to commit. 

Yee. 18. But those things which God before had shoived by . . . his 
prophets. — The predictions of Christ's sufferings by his prophets he 
hath so fulfilled. They are fulfilled by the murderous rejection of 
Christ on the part of the rulers. Thus he caused the wrath of man 
to praise him. Joseph's brethren were verily guilty in their cruel 
treatment of him, yet he could say (Gen. 1. 20), "But, as for you, ye 
thought evil against me : but G-od meant it unto good to bring to pass, 
as it is this day, to save much people alive." The carrying-forward 
of the amazing plan of salvation through the accurate fulfilment of 
ancient prophecies, and the employment of the devices of wicked men 
to promote God's glory and the highest good of the human family, are 
convincing proofs of the inspiration of the Holy Scriptures. 

Yee. 19. Repent ye therefore, and be converted. — In view of the. 
miracle they had witnessed, which was a new and most impressive 
proof that the Prince of life was now a living and acting power in the 
world, they are exhorted to repent of their sins, and turn to God. The 
cry with which the gospel was ushered in was, "Kepent, for the 
kingdom of heaven is at hand." Repentance denotes a change of 
heart : conversion, a change of life. 

That your sins may be blotted out. — In Isa. xliv. 22, God says, " I 
have blotted out as a thick cloud thy transgressions, and as a cloud 
thy sins." The reference is to the mode of expunging from a book, 
or tablet; or crossing out, and thus cancelling, a debt. The ancients, 
who wrote upon tablets covered with wax, when they desired to blot 
out what they had written, drew over it the flat end of their pen, and 
thus obliterated it. The term here rendered "blotted out" occurs in 
Col. ii. 14; Rev. iii. 5, vii. 17. All who repent of sin, and turn to 
Christ, will have their sins obliterated, and their souls cleansed by his 
precious blood. 

When the times of refreshing shall come. — A more literal rendering 
of the passage is, " In order that the time of refreshing may come." 
Yarious interpretations have been given to these words. To a truly 
penitent and converted person, there comes a time of refreshing, a 
breathing time, a rest from the weariness and troubles of life. Others 
suppose the reference is to the whole period of the kingdom of grace, 



INTERNATIONAL S. 8. LESSONS, 1876. 71 

when Christ will give to all his true disciples peace and joy, and the 
blessings of holy communion with himself. Others regard it as pointing 
to the glorious times of the Church, under the literal reign of Christ, 
expected by the apostles and Jewish disciples, as indicated by the 
question put to the Master before the ascension, "Wilt thou at this 
time restore again the kingdom to Israel?" (Acts i. 6.) The true 
believer may experience "the times of refreshing from the presence 
of the Lord," and may, by earnest efforts, hasten the coming of the 
" times of restoration," the glorious consummation when the kingdom 
of Christ will be the universal kingdom on the earth. 

Ver. 20. And he shall send Jesus Christ. — This is in accordance 
with the announcement of the angels at the time of the ascension 
(Acts i. 11): "This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into 
heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into 
heaven." Then shall follow the restoration, or restitution, of all 
things, predicted by the holy prophets. 

Ver. 21. Whom the heaven must receive until these times of 
restitution. It is a part of the grand design of the world's redemp- 
tion, that the Lord of glory should remain in the heavens till his 
second advent to restore all things. From that exalted position he 
sends the Comforter. He pours out his Spirit upon his Church. He 
comes and abides in individual hearts. He uses various agencies for 
the extension of his kingdom, and is preparing for the blessed con- 
summation spoken of by all his prophets since the world began. By 
the terms "restitution," or restoration, we are not to understand 
simply a return to a condition of things that formerly existed ; but a 
renewal of all things, that will far transcend what has even been pre- 
viously enjoyed. Nor can Israel alone claim this exalted and happy 
condition, for the promises extend to all the nations of the earth. 

Ver. 22. For Moses truly said unto the fathers. — The apostle, 
after speaking generally of the predictions of the prophets concerning 
Christ, now mentions a name that has great influence over his 
hearers ; and, by associating Moses and the Messiah, his arguments in 
favor of the latter carry with them great weight. A prophet shall the 
Lord raise up like iinto me (Deut. xviii. 15, 18, 19). Moses foretold 
the appearance of a succession of prophets, that culminated in Christ 
the greatest of the prophets. He was looked upon, and called that 
prophet (John i. 21). Each prophet prefigured him, and uttered 
promises of his coming. But none fulfilled the prophecy, "like unto 
Moses," but Jesus Christ. The points of the similarity between 
them are many. G-od sent Moses to speak and to do all that he 
commanded : the Father sent his Son unto the world to do his will. 
Moses instituted the Jewish Church : Christ established the Christian 
Church. Moses was commissioned to deliver the Israelites from 
bondage, and lead them to the promised land : Christ came to free 
men from the bondage of sin, and lead them to the heavenly Canaan. 
The law of right and justice came by Moses : the law of love came 
by Jesus Christ. Moses was a mediator under the old covenant; 
Christ, a mediator under the new covenant. But Christ is as much 
superior to Moses as the divine is superior to the human. 

Him shall ye hear in all things. — If the venerated prophet spoke 
with authority, how much more did Christ speak " as one having 
authority! " And, if the Jews were under obligations to listen to the 



72 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 

words of Moses, how much more should they attend to Him who had 
" the words of eternal life ! " 

Tee. 23. Every soul that will not hear that prophet. — Everyone 
who rejects the Lord Jesus Christ, or refuses to accept hi* teachings, 
shall be cut off from the privileges of the people of God. This wa* 
the severest punishment that could be inflicted upon a Jew. It at 
once removed him from all participation in the rites of hi- national 
religion, severed him from the benefit- of God's covenant with his 
people, and made him a stranger and a heathen (Num. xv, 30, 31; 
Lev. vii. 21). In the New Testament, the fearful doom of those who 
"obey not the g^-pel of our Lord Jesus Chrht '" is expressed in the 
words. "Who shall be punished with everlasting detraction from 
the pre-enee of the Lord, and from the glory of his power " (2 The—, 
i. 0. 1 

Tee. 24. And all the prophets. from Samuel. — Here Peter re-affirms 
the unity of all the prophets in foretelling the glorious times of the 
Church under the Messiah's reign. Samuel was regarded as the first 
great prophet after Moses, and at the head of the regular line of 
prophets as an established order. He founded a school of the prophets 
(1 Sam. xix. 20). The importance which our Lord attached to the 
prophecies appears in the record of his conversation in the walk to 
Emmaus. "And, beghming at Moses and all the prophets, he ex- 
pounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning him- 
self " (Luke xiv. •-' , 

Vee. 25. Ye 'ire the chi J dren of the prophets. — As though he had 
said, " Of all the people on the face of the earth, you should readily 
and cordially accept the benefits that Christ brings. For these 
prophets are your ancestors : and they were inspired, and taught and 
prophesied, for your guidance and improvement. Also, you are the 
children or the covenant which God made with our fathers. By natural 
descent this covenant is yours, with the distinguished privileges and 
blessings that it embraced." Hence they were under the most obli- 
gations to believe in Christ, the seed of Abraham, who had come to 
bless edl the kindred of the earth. The covenant itself could not save 
them any more than the religion of our fathers can save us. There 
must be the exercise of personal faith in Christ, in order to be saved 
by him. 

Tee. 26. Unto you first — To them the call to repentance and 
faith was first made, in accordance with the charge given to the 
apostles, to begin their work at Jerusalem (Luke xxiv. 47). To them 
God first sends his beloved Son to bless them in turniivj away every one 
of you from your iniqiunes. This was a far greater bles-ing than 
temporal power, or national advantage or exaltation. Their connec- 
tion with the prophets, or being included by the covenant in the 
outward pale of the Church, would avail them nothing while they 
were under the power of sin. They must accept Christ, whose 
"blood cieanseth from all sin." 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS, 1876. 



73 



LESSON VII. — May 14. 



Christian Coueage. — Acts iv. 8-22. 



8. Then Peter, filled with the Holy 
Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the 
people, and elders of Israel, 

9. If we this day be examined of the 
good deed done to the impotent man, by 
what means he is made whole ; 

10. Be it known unto you all, and to 
all the people of Israel, that by the name 
of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye 
crucified, whom God raised from the 
dead, even by him doth this man stand 
here before you whole. 

11 . This is the stone which was set at 
nought of you builders, which is become 
the head of the corner. 

12. Neither is there salvation in any 
other: for there is none other name 
under heaven given among men, 
whereby we must be saved. 

13. IT Now when they saw the bold- 
ness of Peter and John, and perceived 
that they were unlearned and ignorant 
men, they marvelled; and they took 
knowledge of them, that they had been 
with Jesus. 

14. And beholding the man which 
was healed standing with them, they 
could say nothing against it. 

15. But when they had commanded 



them to go aside out of the council, they 
conferred among themselves, 

16. Saying, What shall we do to these 
men? for that indeed a notable miracle 
hath been done by them is manifest to 
all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and 
we cannot deny it. 

17. But that it spread no further 
among the people, let us straitly threaten 
them, that they speak henceforth to no 
man in this name. 

18. And they called them, and com- 
manded them not to speak at all nor 
teach in the name of Jesus. 

19. But Peter and John answered 
and said unto them, Whether it be right 
in the sight of God to hearken unto you 
more than unto God, judge ye. 

20. For we cannot but speak the 
things which we have seen and heard. 

21. So when they had further threat- 
ened them, they let them go, finding 
nothing how they might punish them, 
because of the people : for all men glori- 
fied God for that which was done. 

22. For the man was above forty 
years old, on whom this miracle of heal- 
ing was showed. 



The miracle that had been wrought upon the lame man, and the 
address of Peter that followed, having both deeply impressed the 
people, the hostility of the Jewish authorities is naturally excited. 
The kingdom of light never advances upon the kingdom of darkness 
without a severe conflict. But from these conflicts the truth is 
brought out with increased power ; and its advocates are disciplined 
and strengthened for further advances and victories. The last lesson 
was a gospel address brought forth by the astonishment of the people. 
In this we have another address, brought forth by the hostility of the 
authorities. While they were speaking, there came upon ihem the 
priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees (see Acts iv. 1). 
The priests were offended because these men were attempting to 
teach the people without having been educated in the rabbinical 
schools, and without authority from them. They regarded the act as 
an invasion of their privileges ; and they moved against the apostles, 
led by " the captain of the temple." The priests and Levites acted 
as guards of the temple ; and this was a Jewish, and not a Roman, 
officer, whom they took as their leader. The Sadducees were enraged 
because the apostles preached the doctrine of the resurrection of the 
dead, which they denied. 

The offenders were seized and imprisoned ; and yet conversions 
were multiplied to the number of five thousand. The next day they 



74 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 

were brought before a most imposing council, representing the power, 
wealth, and official authority of the Jewish nation. Being placed 
"in the midst," with the eyes of seventy-two councillors, and 
numerous distinguished visitors resting upon them, they were asked, 
"By what power, or by what name, have ye done this?" (Acts i v. 
3-7.) 

Yer. 8. Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost. — This language 
expresses a special miraculous gift Of the Holy Ghost, in accordance 
with the promises, that, when the apostles were arraigned before 
rulers, the Spirit would teach them what to say (see Luke xii. 12, 
xxi. 14, 15). 

Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel. — By thus addressing 
his judges, Peter acknowledges them as the authorized heads and 
representatives of the people of Israel. Speaking to them, he feels 
that he is addressing the whole nation. The elders were anciently 
the chiefs of the tribes, and from the beginning were rulers of the 
people (Exod. xii. 21). 

This high court before which Peter appeared, called the Sanhedrim, 
consisted of seventy or seventy-two senators, made up of the chief 
priests, the elders, or presbyters, and scribes, writers and teachers of 
the law. The high priest was president, who determined the most 
important affairs of the nation. 

Yer. 9. If we this day be examined. — If you sincerely desire to 
know by what means this good deed, this miracle of mercy, has been 
performed, then listen to the direct answer we are ready to give. 

Yek. 10. Be it known unto you all. The apostle, spiritually invig- 
orated and toned up by the persecutions through which he was pass- 
ing, boldly takes his stand before this high court of the nation. The 
efforts of the rulers to silence him result, through providential direc- 
tion, in giving him an opportunity to testify for Christ, and preach to 
them a gospel sermon. We cannot see how such an opportunity 
could have been obtained in any other way. First, he states to them, 
and through them " to all the people of Israel," that " by the name, or 
power, of Jesus Christ of Nazareth," the despised name that followed 
him to the cross, doth this man stand here before you ivhole. Second, 
he brings home to them the guilty part they took in the crucifixion of 
Christ. Third, In the face of the Sadducees, he declares the fact of 
Christ's resurrection. He had already charged upon the Jewish 
people the crime of crucifixion (see Acts ii. 23, iii. 14, 15) ; and now 
he boldly exposes the criminality of those who urged on the people, 
and pressed Pilate to pronounce the sentence of death. 

Yer. 11. This is the stone. — The prophetic passage in Ps. cxviii. 
22 is here applied to Christ. " The stone which the builders refused 
is become the head-stone of the corner." That is, Christ which was 
set at nought, repudiated by you builders (you priests and scribes offi- 
cially appointed to be the builders of the Jewish Church), has become 
the chief corner-stone of the whole building, or church. This passage 
Christ applies to himself (see Matt. xxi. 42). It is also referred to in 
Eph. ii. 20; 1 Pet. ii. 4-6. 

Yer. 12. Neither is there salvation in any other. — The apostle, in 
a beautiful manner, turns from Christ's healing power over the body, 
to the salvation he provides for the soul. He points to his name as 
the only name under heaven whereby we must be saved. The power 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS. 1576. 75 

of that name will one day banish all sickness, sorrow, and want, 
regenerate the moral nature of the race, and consummate the restitu- 
tion of all things. 

Vee. 13. When ' 1 \-' ; m 0, e ! : I loess :~ Pet er a i d /oAn, — i. e.. their 
unembarrassed manner, and perfect openness and freedom oi speech, 
and that they were without professional learning or culture. — they 
were astonished. Their persecuting spirit was tamed to wonder at 
what they heard from such men. The term translated ant men 

means private men. in distinction from magistrates, or public teachers. 
It also means men in humble life. Their attention being aroused, 
and thus then memory being quickened, they took knowle Ige qfU em ; 
rather, they recognized them as having been seen in the company :: 
Jesus. These two apostles were present in the judgment-hall at the 
time Christ was tried before the same Sanhedrim Johnxviii. 15. 16). 
The judges may have recognized in them the spirit :: Jesus, the same 
nieekne--. self-reliance, respect fox office, and the same bold, clear, 
and direct mode of discourse. 

Tee. 14. And be) >Id the man that was healed, standing with 
them. — This was an argument that perfectly confounded them. 
There stood the mar. ti h : h 1 been healed, after having been, as mul- 
titudes knew, for forty years a cripple (ver. 22). They had been 
accustomed to see him lying on the ground, begging. Now he sfc 
before them, hi the joyous consciousness that he is perfectly heak L 
He says nothing. It is not necessary for him to speak a word. His 
Tery posture is incontestable evidence of the reality of the miracle. 

Vebs. 15. 16. When they had com- h I them U ie. — The 

examination being ended, and the evidence being all taken, the apos- 
tles, with the man whom they had healed, were requested to retire. 
Then they conferred among themselves, saying, " TT" shaH we do to 
these men?" Avery difficult question for them to decide. That a 
remarkable miracle had been wrought by these apostles, the judges 
could not deny. The fame of it had spread too far to be n »w - 1 oped. 
The greatest obstacle in the way of a righteous decision of the case 
was their own stubborn will. They love darkness, rather than light. 
The truth of Christianity is before them in this miracle. They :ould 
say nothing against the miracle : and yet they would not believe on 
the Lord Jesus Christ, and be saved. 

Tee. 17. Th: her . . . let us threaten them. 

They did not dare to inflict punishment upon men whose only crime 
was an act of benevolence : and ye: they hoped to hush up the matter. 
For the great cause of vexation and fear to these rulers was the name 
of Jesus of Nazareth. If that name continues to increase in power, 
and proofs unanswerable multiply, that this Xazarene whom they 
have condemned and crucified is the Messiah, they and their author- 
ity are doomed. 

Vee. IS. And they called them, and sentenced them not to spt 
at all, nor teach in the name of Jesus. They were commanded not to 
mention his name in private conversation, nor speak of his resurrec- 
tion or doctrines in the presence of public assemblies. The only 
name given under heaven, whereby men can be saved, these Jesuits 
of that day would forever suppress. They would ;:ihe its utterance 
by human lips. But, thank God! man's decrees cannot bind the liv- 
ing truth. Dungeons cannot hold Christianity. 



76 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 

Ver. 19. Peter and John answered. — Spending the previous night 
in prison did not awaken the fears of these men, nor abate one iota 
their faith and confidence in their Master. They did not need to con- 
sult together as to what they would say or do in their present posi- 
tion. Without the least hesitation, and still in a respectful manner, 
they submit to the rulers a new question for their decision. Whether 
it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto yon more than unto God, 
judge ye. They have already decided the matter at the tribunal of 
their own consciences ; and they appeal to the sense of right in those 
before them, who are the official guardians of the honor due to the 
God of Israel. 

Ver. 20. We cannot but speak the things which we hare seen and 
heard. — We cannot go counter to our convictions of duty, and the 
evidences of -our senses. We believe in the divinity of the Lord Jesus 
Christ, in his resurrection and ascension, in the power of his ador- 
able name, in the salvation he has provided for a perishing world ; 
and they might add, as in the case of St. Paul, "A necessity is laid 
upon us; yea, woe is unto us, if we preach not the gospel " (1 Cor. 
ix. 16). 

Ver. 21. When they had further threatened them. — As is usual 
with tyrants and persecutors, who have no arguments, and act with- 
out reason or justice, they resort to threatenings. They would 
gladly punish them with severity, but the convictions of the people 
stood in their way. The providence of God, whom the people glorified, 
was also in their way. Therefore they let them go. 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS, 1876. 



77 



LESSON VIII. —Mat 21. 



Christian Fellowship. — Acts iv. 23-37. 



23. IT And being let go, they went to 
their own company, and reported all 
that the chief priests and elders had 
said unto them. 

24. And when they heard that, they 
lifted ~ up their voice to God with one 
accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, 
which hast made heaven, and earth, and 
the sea, and all that in them is : 

25. Who by the mouth of thy servant 
David hast "said, "Why did the' heathen 
rage, and the people imagine vain tilings ? 

26. The kings of the earth stood up, 
and the rulers were gathered together 
against the Lord, and against his Christ. 

27. For of a truth against thy holy 
child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, 
both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with 
the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, 
were gathered together, 

28. For to do whatsoever thy hand 
and thy counsel determined before to 
be done. 

29. And now, Lord, behold their 
threatenings : and grant unto thy ser- 
vants, that with all boldness they may 
speak thy word, 

30. By stretching forth thine hand to 
heal; and that signs and wonders may 
be done by the name of thy holy child 
Jesus. 



31. TT And when they had prayed, the 
place was shaken where they were as- 
sembled together;' and they were all 
tilled with the Holy Ghost, and they 
spake the word of God with boldness. 

32. And the multitude of them that 
believed, were of one heart and of 0116 
soul : neither said any of them that aught 
of the things which he possessed was 
his own ; but they had all things com- 
mon. 

33. And with great power gave the 
apostles witness of the resurrection of 
the Lord Jesus: and great grace was 
upon them all. 

34. Neither was there any among them 
that lacked : for as many as were pos- 
sessors of lands or houses sold them, 
and brought the prices of the things 
that were sold, 

35. And laid them down at the apostles' 
feet: and distribution was made unto 
every man according as he had need. 

36. And Joses, who by the apostles 
was surnamed Barnabas (which is, being 
interpreted, The son of consolation), a 
Levite, and of the country of Cyprus, 

37. Having land, sold it, and brought 
the money, and laid it at the apostles' 
feet. 



Vee. 23. They went to their own company. — Peter and John, having 
been dismissed from, the council-chamber of the Sanhedrim, went to 
their own Christian friends, who would naturally be interested in 
hearing of what they had passed through. They proceeded to a 
company of believers, such as daily met for prayer, or to a Christian 
assembly that may have included their fellow-apostles, and reported 
all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them. 

Yee. 24. And, when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to 
God. — The report made to the assembly convinced the members tbat 
there were troublesome times before them. The imprisonment of the 
apostles, the threats that had been made, the command of silence that 
had been imposed by the highest ecclesiastical court in the land, 
revealed a deep-seated hostility to Christian truth. War had been 
declared upon the disciples of Jesus ; and they must abandon their 
work, or accept the conflict. They naturally recur to the Second 
Psalm, in which this condition of the church is prophetically set 
forth. It is supposed that the congregation sang this Psalm, followed 
by prayer ; and that Peter applied the words of the Psalm to the 
present conjuncture. 

Lord, thou art God, which made heaven and earth. — This is the first 
Christian Church prayer with which we are acquainted. It comes 



78 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 

from hearts deeply moved by a sense of danger, and is a cry to God 
for protection from enemies. " This beautiful flower grew under the 
cross." The ground of confidence that the prayer will be heard and 
answered is the almighty power of God, the Creator of the heavens 
and the earth. 

Yer. 25. TT7?o by the mouth of David. — We have here the plenary 
inspiration of this Second Psalm asserted in the strongest terms ; that 
God spake by the mouth of his servant David. All the ancient Jewish 
rabbis admit that this Psalm refers to the Messiah, a portion of which 
is quoted, and fulfilled in the recent hostility of the rulers to the Son 
of God. 

Why did the heathen rage? — The reference is to the Gentiles, or 
heathen (Roman) governors, who united with the Jewish rulers against 
the Messiah. The raging is like the wild snorting and tearing of 
furious horses. And the people imagine tain things; i. e., entertain 
useless and abortive designs to destroy Christ, and accomplish their 
purposes against the will of God. 

Yer. 26. The kings of the earth stood up. — They rose up, and 
stood side by side for mutual support; and the rulers were gathered 
together, consulted together, against the Lord (Jehovah), and against 
his Christ (his Messiah, or his Anointed). The terms Christ and Mes- 
siah both mean "anointed;" and, in designating Christ as the 
anointed, it is understood that he is anointed by the Father, or 
appointed by him to the Messianic office. Hence the enemies of 
Christ are the enemies of God. 

Yer. 27. For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus. — Most truly 
is this prophecy fulfilled in the combination formed against the holy 
and anointed One, by Herod Antipas, tetrarch of Galilee; Pontius 
Pilate the Roman governor, whose consent was necessary to the exe- 
cution of Christ ; the Gentiles, represented by the Roman soldiers ; and 
the people of Israel, who demanded and witnessed the crucifixion. 

Yer. 28. To do whatsoever thy . . . counsel determined. — However 
the heathen may rage, and " the rulers take counsel together against 
the Lord and against his Anointed," yet God says, " My counsel shall 
stand, and I will do all my pleasure " (Isa. xlvi. 10). The divine sov- 
ereignty is a rock, against which the waves of human passions dash in 
vain. 

Yer. 29. Now, Lord, behold their threatenings. — They pray that 
their enemies maybe restrained, for they have this assurance (Ps. 
ii. 4): "He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh; the Lord shall 
have them in derision." They do not pray for their destruction, that 
the path may be clear and unobstructed before them, but that they 
may have boldness to deliver the gospel message in the face of all 
opposition. 

Yer. 30. By stretching forth thy hand to heal. — They also ask for 
power to perform signs and miracles of healing in the name of Jesus, 
as evidences that the omnipotent God is with them, and that the 
word they preach is the word of God. 

Yer. 31. And when they had prayed. — "We come now to the results 
of the prayer. It is heard in heaven. The arm of the Almighty is 
outstretched for the protection of the young and comparatively small 
church, that is feeling the blasts of persecution, and would prepare 
for the coming tempests. 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS, 1876. 79 

The place was shaken where they were assembled. — This was a 
miraculous manifestation that their prayer was heard. It may be 
regarded as a symbol of the commotions that were at hand, and 
winch the preaching of the gospel would produce. Or it may be 
accepted as a sign that the omnipotent God is with them, and that he 
can shake the nations that rise up against him. They were also filled 
with 'he Holy Ghost. — They had once before received this baptism; 
and now, in answer to their fervent prayers, there comes from heaven 
another mighty outpouring of the Spirit. The soul needs to be con- 
stantly strengthened and refreshed with power from on high. Under 
this new gift they spake the word of God with boldness. Why should 
they not ? What has any man to fear, who is conscious that the 
eternal God is with him ? 

Yer. 32. And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart. 
— The characteristics of the church are here given. The new con- 
verts were bound together in the bonds of Christian affection; and 
they gave freely of their possessions to all who were in need. They 
had all things common; not making a common stock or fund of all 
their property, but regarding their possessions as so completely under 
the law of Christian love, that all who needed aid might share with 
them. ''This," says Townsend, "is a picture of what every Chris- 
tian church ought to be, and what every Christian church will prob- 
ably be, when the fulness of the Spirit shall be poured out in the last 
day?, and the consummation of all things arrives. Here we meet with 
no factions or divisions on the part of the people, no jealousy, no 
party spirit. Xo desire of distinction disturbed the harmony of the 
primitive church. The apostles as the spiritual fathers of God's 
household, without opposition, superintended all things, and directed 
the disposal of the extensive and benevolent contributions of the 
faithful. The first law of their divine Master was fulfilled : mutual 
and holy love was the sacred bond of their union, the ruling prin- 
ciple of their life and actions." 

Veb. 33. With great power gave the apostles witness of the resur- 
rection. — The resurrection of Christ was their great theme; and 
they were endowed with special power to present it to others, and 
secure its acceptance to their faith. They had special gifts to explain, 
vindicate, and enforce the great facts in Christ's history, of which 
they had been witnesses. A large measure of heavenly grace also 
rested upon all the members of the Church, developing every Chris- 
tian virtue, — love, liberality, and a deep interest in the spiritual wel- 
fare of all over whom they could gain an influence. 

Tees. 34, 35. Neither was there any among them that lacked. — 
The poor had an abundance, and the rich enjoyed the luxury of 
giving to others. Those who were the possessors of lands or houses 
sold them. This was done voluntarily, and, as far as necessary, to 
meet the wants of the needy. The money thus obtained was laid 
at the apostles' feet, or committed to their care for distribution. 

Yers. 36, 37. And Joses . . . a Levite, having land, sold it. — This 
was a special case of a foreigner, and one belonging to the family of 
Levi, who, having land, sold it, and laid the money at the apostles' 
feet. He is the well-known Barnabas, who became a faithful 
preacher of the gospel, and was associated with St. Paul (Acts 
xiii. 2). 



80 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 

Though the tribe of Levites had no inheritance in Israel, yet they 
had cities and lands assigned to them (Dent. xxxv. 1-5). As indi- 
viduals, however, they could acquire and sell landed property in and 
around their forty-eight cities (Num. xxxv. 1-8; Lev. xxv. 32). The 
conversion of Joses was followed by many priests who believed 
(Acts vi.). 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS, 1876. 



81 



LESSON IX. — May 28. 



Lying unto God. — Acts v. 1-11. 



1. But a certain man named Ananias, 
with Sappliira his wife, sold a possession, 

2. And kept back part of the price, his 
wife also being privy to it, and brought a 
certain part, and laid it at the apostles' 
feet. 

3. But Peter said, Ananias, why hath 
Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy 
Ghost, and to keep back part of the price 
of the land? 

4. While it remained, was it not thine 
own? and after it was sold, was it not in 
thine own power? why hast thou con- 
ceived this thing in thine heart? thou 
hast not lied unto men, but unto God. 

5. And Ananias hearing these words 
fell down, and gave up the ghost : and 
great fear came on all them that heard 
these things. 

6. And the young men arose, wound 
him up, and carried him out, and buried 
him. 



7. And it was about the space of three 
hours after, when his wife, not knowing 
what was done, came in. 

8. And Peter answered unto her, Tell 
me whether ye sold the land for so 
much? And she said, Yea, for so 
much. 

9. Then Peter said unto her, How is it 
that ye have agreed together to tempt 
the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet 
of them which have buried thy husband 
are at the door, and shall carry thee out. 

10. Then fell she down straightway at 
his feet, and yielded up the ghost : and 
the young men came in, and found her 
dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her 
by her husband. 

11. And great fear came upon all the 
church, and upon as many as heard 
these things. 



Yer. 1. A certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife. — 
We have here a case in striking contrast with that of Joses and many 
others, who gave cheerfully the whole amount of the money derived 
from the sale of property. These persons desired to obtain the repu- 
tation for such liberality, without making the necessary sacrifice. 
This was the first defection in the new church, the first marked 
development of "the form of godliness, without its power;" and the 
sin was of such a nature as to require the severest punishment. 
Ananias was a common name among the Jews, and means " the grace 
of the Lord." Sapphira means "beautiful." It is sadly evident that 
their characters did not correspond with their names. 

Sold a possession. — They combined together, and sold, we should 
infer, a farm, or some landed property, as in the case of Barnabas. 
We are not told that he sold all his real estate. The reference of 
Luke is to the parcel of land, the amount received for which, is the 
point in question. 

Vee. 2. And kept back part of the price. — Professing to give the 
whole to the Lord, they kept back a part for their own private use. 
They brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet. — It 
matters not how large a part they brought, or how much they retained 
for themselves. They professed to give the whole, when they did not. 
The act was performed at the time of public worship, and in the 
presence of the congregation. The money was given to the apostles, 
who acted in the name and authority of their divine Master. All the 
circumstances of the case aggravated their sin, and increased their 
guilt. 

Yee. 3. Wliy hath Satan filled thine heart f — In this inquiry there 
is a distinct recognition of Satan as a personal agent, in direct hostility 



82 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 

to the Holy Ghost. He rules in the kingdom of darkness, that is 
opposed to the kingdom of light. His influence may be effectually 
resisted, for James says (iv. 7), "Eesist the Devil, and he will ilee 
from you." But, yielded to, he fills the heart, and hardens the con- 
science, and is thus said to instigate, or impel, to evil deeds. The 
crime of Judas is traced to Satan, who is said to have entered into 
him (see Luke xxii. 3, and John xiii. 27). He enters into only a 
willing mind ; and therefore his presence, or agency, is no excuse for 
the sin. Under the controlling power he had gained over Ananias 
and Sapphira, they are led to lie to the Holy Ghost. They attempted 
to deceive the Holy Ghost, as well as the church, by pretending to a 
degree of liberality that they did not possess. Professing to be filled 
•with the Holy Ghost, and acting under his divine direction, they were 
filled with Satan, and following his dictation. They were hypocrites 
in the presence of God ; and their course, by obliterating the distinc- 
tion between the works of the flesh and those of the Spirit, tended to 
corrupt and destroy the church. 

Vek. 4. Wliile it remained, was it not thine own? — It is clear 
from this, that the offering of property for the benefit of the poor 
was perfectly voluntary ; and, while the property remained unappro- 
priated to charitable purposes, it belonged to them, and might be 
innocently retained. But, given up by a special consecration, it was 
" holy to the Lord," and it became sacrilege to appropriate any part 
of it to one's self (see Lev. xxvii. 28). And, after it was sold, was it 
not in thine own power f — Were not the proceeds of the property at 
your own disposal, to give the whole, or a part, as you pleased ? The 
apostle mentions this to show the greatness of the crime. Ananias 
was not required, by any express command of God, to sell his prop- 
erty, or to give the entire proceeds to the church after it was sold. 
He was required to be an honest, straightforward, Christian man, 
doing what he pretended to do ; and, if he was not this, he was a 
hypocrite. Quesnel says, " God desires not our property, but our 
hearts." WJiy hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart f — Here he 
charges the guilt directly upon himself. Why hast thou deliberated 
and determined upon this plan, yielding to the devices of Satan, and 
co-operating with him to do this thing ? Thou hast not lied unto men, 
but unto God. — Clearly, then, the Holy Ghost is God. (See also 
Matt, xxviii. 19 ; Luke ii. 26 ; 2 Cor. xiii. 14). 

Yee. 5. And Ananias fell down. — His immediate fall and death 
was the direct act of the Almighty. The severity of the punishment 
was a rebuke to hypocrisy, a vindication of the honor of the holy 
and blessed Spirit, and a protection of the church against unrighteous 
ambition and false professors. Very naturally, great fear came on all 
them that heard these things. They feared the judgment of God, and 
the power that accompanied his apostles. The sudden retribution 
that befell these offenders, was calculated to produce a salutary effect 
in favor of the purity of the Church throughout all time. 

Yejr. 6. The young men arose, wound him up, &c. — Some writers 
suppose that these young men were regularly appointed church 
officers, to whom such a duty as this belonged. But the only officers 
of whom we have positive knowledge in the church, at this time, 
were the apostles. It was quite natural that the younger men present 
in the congregation should be called upon for such a service, or 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS, 1876. 83 

volunteer their aid. They wound him up probably in a loose shroud, 
such as was thrown around a corpse. Some think that they 
wound him up in their own mantles, which they took off for the pur- 
pose; others, that they hastily wrapped him in his own loose robe. 
They carried Mm out of the house or the city. It was usual to bury 
the dead outside the walls of the city, and as soon as possible, owing 
to the rapid corruption of the body in that warm climate. Coffins are 
not used in the East, the body being wrapped in a winding-sheet, with 
spices around it, and then laid away in a tomb. 

Yee. 7. It was about the space of three hours after. — This may 
have been at the next regular Jewish hour for prayer ; or the meeting 
may have continued during this whole period, and Sapphira did not 
attend until about three hours had elapsed after her husband's death. 
As the corpse had not been carried to the house, but was buried at 
once, she had no knowledge of what had transpired. 

Yee. 8. Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? — Before 
coming to the meeting, professedly to worship God, the woman had a 
longer time for reflection than her husband had ; and this question of 
Peter gave her the opportunity for examining her heart, and telling 
the truth. But she declared that this was the exact sum, thus 
deliberately intending to deceive. 

Yee. 9. How is it that ye have agreed together, &c. — What weak- 
ness, or wickedness, has taken such possession of you, as to lead you 
to conspire together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? "That is, to 
put to the test the Spirit of God, by lying to the Holy Ghost, and 
attempting to palm off hypocrisy for piety ; as though he could not 
detect the difference, or as though he were alike the author of both." 
— Jacobus. The sentence of swift judgment is pronounced against 
her for her awful crime, which began with a gross violation of the 
duties of married life, and ended in insulting the Holy Spirit. 

Yee. 10. Then fell she down straightway at his feet. — The sudden 
death of these transgressors was not the result of a threat or a prayer 
from Peter. It was not, as some have intimated, the effect of a 
sudden shock given to their sensibilities, by the detection of their sin, 
before the whole congregation, where they expected praise for their 
liberality. The circumstances, in both cases, show that it was a 
judicial infliction by the direct visitation of God. 

Yee. 11. And great fear came upon all the church. — The Church 
was established for spiritual purposes; and its success obviously 
depends upon its purity. It is the Church of the living God, ever 
under his omniscient eye, and governed by the laws of righteousness 
and holiness. The sin of Ananias and Sapphira invaded the Church 
at several points. "1. It was a theft (ver. 3), proceeding from the 
love of money, the root of all evil. 2. It was a lie, and a hypocritical 
act; an abomination in the eyes of the God of truth (vers. 3, 8). 
3. It was committed intentionally and wantonly: 'was it not in thine 
own power?' (ver. 4). 4. It was committed in accordance with a secret 
understanding of the two persons who combined to do evil, in place 
of addressing to each other's conscience the words, ' How can I do 
this great wickedness, and sin against God?' (Gen. xxxix. 9). 5. It 
grieved the Holy Spirit of God, who warned, rebuked, and admonished 
them, not only by the mouth of Peter, but also in their own hearts, 
as believing members of the Church (vers. 3, 4, 9). 6. It was an 



84 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 

offence to the Church, that should not have spot, or wrinkle, or any 
such thing (Eph. v. 27), and which just began to exhibit such beauty 
and vigor in the Holy Ghost (xxiv. 32). 7. It had a tendency to have 
the name of Jesus Christ blasphemed among the Gentiles." — Lange'a 
Commentary. 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS, 1876. 



85 



LESSON X. — June 4. 



The Apostles in Pbison. — Acts v. 12-26. 



12. IT And by the hands of the apos- 
tles were many signs and wonders 
wrought among the people (and they 
were all with one accord in Solomon's 
porch. 

13. And of the rest durst no man join 
himself to them : hut the people magni- 
fied them. 

14. And believers were the more added 
to the Lord, multitudes both of men and 
women) ; 

15. Insomuch that they brought forth 
the sick into the streets', and laid them 
on beds and couches, that at the least 
the shadow of Peter passing by might 
overshadow some of them. 

16. There came also a multitude out of 
the cities round about unto Jerusalem, 
bringing sick folks, and them which 
were vexed with unclean spirits: and 
they were healed every one. 

17. IT Then the high priest rose up, 
and all they that were with him (which 
is the sect of the Sadducees), and were 
filled with indignation, 

18. And laid their hands on the apos- 
tles, and put them in the common prison. 

19. But the angel of the Lord by night 
opened the prison doors, and brought 
them forth, and said, 

20. Go, stand and speak in the tem- 



ple to the people all the words of this 
life. 

21. And when they heard that, they 
entered into the temple early in the 
morning, and taught. But the high 
priest came, and they that were with 
him, and called the council together, 
and all the senate of the children of 
Israel, and sent to the prison to have 
them brought. 

22. But when the officers came, and 
found them not in the prison, they re- 
turned, and told, 

23. Saying. The prison truly found we 
shut with all safety, and the keepers 
standing without before the doors ; but 
when we had opened, we found no man 
within. 

21. Now when the high priest, and 
the captain of the temple, and the 
chief priests, heard these things, they 
doubted of them whereunto this would, 
grow. 

25. Then came one and told them, say- 
ing, Behold, the men whom ye put in 
prison are standing in the temple, and 
teaching the people, 

26. Then went the captain with the 
officers, and brought them without vio- 
lence: for they feared the people, lest 
they should have been stoned. 



Yeb. 12. By the hands of the apostles, &c. — God taketh no pleas- 
ure in the death of the wicked, but had rather that all turn to him and 
live. In wrath he remembers mercy (Hab. iii. 2) ; and, having visited 
the ungodly with his judgments, he now turns to meet the wants of 
the needy, and add fresh testimony to the truth and power of the 
glorious gospel. There were many miracles of healing, that excited 
the wonder of the people, and drew many into the fold of Christ. 

They were all with one accord in Solomon'' s porch. — The number of 
the disciples of Christ had so increased that the upper room (Acts i. 
13) was too small for them ; and they now met, as a distinct body of 
worshippers, in Solomon's porch, which was sufficiently spacious and 
well fitted to accommodate them all. The spirit of harmony reigned 
over their assemblies, and united their hearts. 

Yees. 13, 14. And of the rest durst no man join himself to them. — 
Such was the reverence entertained for the apostles, and the awe 
awakened by the severe and speedy punishment inflicted upon Ana- 
nias and Sapphira for their hypocrisy, that the promiscuous multi- 
tude were kept back from their assemblies, and from making a false 
profession of faith. No man dare join them unless he was sincere. 
But among the common people there were many who regarded- the 
company of believers with esteem and admiration ; and the church 



86 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 

steadily increased by accessions from this class. They were added to 
the Lord by a living faith, and were united to him as the branches are 
united to the vine. 

Ver. 15. Tliey brought forth the sick into the streets. — The term 
" streets" here includes the public squares and open places of resort, 
such as are found around the gates in Oriental cities. The rich were 
brought in beds, and the poor on couches or pallets, that at least the 
shadow of Peter might fall on them as he was passing to and from the 
temple. It does not appear that any were really healed by his shadow, 
although some persons may have been restored without touching him ; 
but the expression shows the great confidence of the people in his 
healing power. They may have been healed by their faith in the divine 
energy that inspired him ; as the woman was who said of our Lord, 
" If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole " (Matt. ix. 29, 21). 
It is stated (Acts xix. 11, 12) of the Apostle Paul, that God wrought 
miracles through handkerchiefs and aprons that had been in contact 
with his body ; and it was as easy for divine power to heal the sick by 
means of Peter's shadow, as in any other way. 

Ver. 16. There came also a multitude out of the cities. — Reports of 
the numerous instances of healing are circulated far and wide ; and 
multitudes flock to Jerusalem from the neighboring cities, with their 
sick and with demoniacs, and they are all healed. The promise was 
fulfilled, " According to your faith be it unto you." 

Ver. 17. Then the high priest rose up. — Again the high priest 
Annas (Acts iv. 6) was aroused to take active measures to suppress 
the new sect, aided by the Sadducees who belonged to the high 
priest's party in opposition to our Lord. This movement is marked 
by increased bitterness of feeling, and more resolute action tban when 
only Peter and John were imprisoned for a night (Acts iv. 1-3). They 
-were filled with indignation. The apostles were filled with the Holy 
Spirit, but these men were filled with wicked zeal. The Sadducees 
could not bear to see the doctrine of the resurrection gaining ground, 
and thus threatening to sweep away their own tenets; and the high 
priest feared for the national religion, which he officially represented. 

Ver. 18. Laid hands on the apostles. — This time they imprisoned 
all the apostles. They wish to make thorough work ; and they adopt 
the most effectual measures within their power to silence all Christ's 
apostles, and shut out their influence from the people. They put 
chains upon the believers and their faith, and hope thereby to hold 
them, and stop the signs and wonders that are thinning their ranks, 
and swelling the assemblies of the Christians. 

Ver. 19. But the angel of the Lord by night. — They had not reck- 
oned on this. They thought that their power was supreme, and that 
all that was necessary for their protection was to exercise it. They 
trusted to the prison-keepers to see that the doors were securely closed. 
But, by the Power above them, an angel is sent by night to open the 
prison-doors, and bring forth the apostles. "The rulers take counsel 
together against the Lord, and against his Anointed. But he that 
sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in 
derision " (Ps. ii. 2, 4). 

Ver. 29. Go stand and speak in the temple. — The angel directs 
them to go and stand in the sacred enclosure of the temple, and speak 
in the presence of the people all the words of this life ; that is, all the 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS, 1876. 87 

doctrines of Christ, who is our life, who is the way, the truth, and 
the life (John xiv. 6) ; who is the resurrection and the life (John xi. 
25) ; who has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel 
(1 Tim. i. 10). 

Ver. 21. And when they heard that. — They obeyed without the 
least hesitation, or fear of the consequences. They appear at early 
dawn at the temple, the time when our Lord taught the people who 
flocked to hear him (see Luke xxi. 38; John viii. 2). The morning 
hours are delightful for worship and prayer. 

Vers. 21-23. But the high priest came, &c. — While the apostles 
were preaching " the glorious gospel of the blessed God," the high 
priest and his followers called a meeting of the whole council, or San- 
hedrim, to institute legal measures against them. The members are 
promptly in their seats ; and doubtless a glow of satisfaction passes 
over the august assembly as they send the officers to the prison, to 
bring the apostles before them. In due time the officers return, and 
make their report. Their own words tell the whole: "The prison 
truly found we shut with all safety, and the keepers standing without 
before the doors ; but, when we had opened, we found no man within." 
If there was any satisfaction in knowing that the prison was found 
shut with all safety, and that the keepers were standing faithful at 
their posts, guarding the doors, the Sanhedrim had these facts to 
comfort them. 

Ver. 24. Now when the high priest and captain . . . heard these 
things. — The captain of the temple-guard, who was probably a priest, 
would naturally be engaged in effecting the arrest of the apostles 
(comp. Acts iv. 1). The chief priests were " the heads of the twenty- 
four courses appointed by David (1 Chron. xxiv. ); or, possibly, also 
those who had been high priests under the Eoman appointment, just 
as Annas and Caiaphas were high priests, instead of one as provided 
by the Jewish law (Acts iv. 6)." When they heard these things, 
they doubted of them whereunto this would grow. They were perplexed, 
and were utterly at a loss to conceive what would be the consequences 
if things went on in this amazing manner. How much better for 
them to have yielded to the evidences directly before their eyes, and 
acknowledged the truth as it is in Jesus ! 

Ver. 25. Then came one, and told them. — In the midst of their 
perplexity, they are told at least that the prisoners are found. The 
simple fact is stated, that they are standing in the temple, and teaching 
the people. 

Yer. 26. Then went the captain with the officers. — The commander 
of the Levitical guard, accompanied by the servants of the high court, 
went and brought the apostles without violence. It was unnecessary 
to use violence with the apostles themselves ; for their religion taught 
them not to resist authority, but to submit for conscience' sake, rec- 
ognizing, however, the higher claims of G-od's law when human laws 
conflicted with the divine. But the reason stated for not using vio- 
lence is, that they feared the people might stone them. They did not 
fear this from the disciples, but from the popular feeling that pre- 
vailed among the multitude who had received the benefits of healing, 
and who knew that the apostles had been released from prison by the 
direct interposition of God. This latter circumstance must have 
greatly strengthened and encouraged the apostles in their work, and 



88 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 

given them great power in addressing the people. Nor can we suppose 
that they were much disturbed by the order to accompany the captain 
to the council ; for it gave them another opportunity to preach the 
gospel to the rulers of the nation, and the leaders of the persecution 
ascainst them. 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS, 1876. 



89 



LESSON XL —June 11. 



The Apostles before the Council. — Acts v. 27-42. 



27. And when they had brought them, 
they set them before the council: and 
the high priest asked them, 

28. Saying, Did not we straitly com- 
mand you that ye should not teach in 
this name? and, behold, ye have filled 
Jerusalem with your doctrine, and in- 
tend to bring this man's blood upon us. 

29. IT Then Peter and the other apos- 
tles answered and said, We ought to 
obey God rather than men. 

30. The God of our fathers raised up 
Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a 
tree. 

31. Him hath God exalted with his 
right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, 
for to give repentance to Israel, and for- 
giveness of sins. 

32. And we are his witnesses of these 
things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, 
whom God hath given to them that obey 
him. 

33. IT When they heard that, they were 
cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay 
them. 

34. Then stood there up one in the 
council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a 
doctor of the law, had in reputation 
among all the people, and commanded 
to put the apostles forth a little space ; 

35. And said unto them, Ye men of 
Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye 
intend to do as touching these men. 



36. For before these days rose up 
Theudas, boasting himself to be some- 
body ; to whom a number of men, about 
four hundred, joined themselves : who 
was slain; and all, as many as obeyed 
him, were scattered, and brought to 
nought. 

37. After this man rose up Judas of 
Galilee in the days of the taxing, and 
drew away much people after him: he 
also perished; and all, even as many as 
obeyed him, were dispersed. 

38. And now I say unto you, Refrain 
from these men, and let them alone: 
for if this counsel or this work be of men, 
it will come to nought : 

39. But if it be of God, ye cannot 
overthrow it; lest haply ye be found 
even to fight against God. 

40. And to him they agreed : and when 
they had called the apostles, and beaten 
them, they commanded that they should 
not speak in the name of Jesus, and let 
them go. 

41. TT And they departed from the 
presence of the council, rejoicing that 
they were counted worthy to suffer 
shame for his name. 

42. And daily in the temple, and in 
every house, they ceased not to teach 
and preach Jesus Christ. 



Yee. 27. WJien they had brought them. — The apostles, having made 
no resistance, were quietly brought by the officers, and placed in the 
centre of the room, before the members of the council. 

Yee. 28. Did we not straitly command you f — Did we not strictly 
command you, that ye should not teach in this name f The high priest 
avoids mentioning the name of Jesus, as if it were beneath his dignity 
to pronounce it. He then charges them with having filled Jerusalem 
with their doctrine, which was in reality a public admission of their 
great diligence and success. Under the secret trouble of conscience, and 
the dread of merited punishment, he refers to their intention to bring 
this marts blood upon them. The Jews had profanely said, "His blood be 
on us, and on our children " (Matt, xxvii. 25) ; and now that this name, 
that is above every name, is rapidly gaining in influence, and these 
apostles are doing every thing to add to its power, they naturally 
dread the result to themselves. They fear that the dreadful impreca- 
tion may be fulfilled. 

Vee. 29. Peter . . . said, We ought to obey God rather than men. — 
He commences his address with laying down a principle, that he had 
before expressed (Acts iv. 19), and now with emphasis re-affirms. 



90 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 

They would obey the Jewish authorities as far as their consciences 
would allow, and would submit to punishment and imprisonment; 
but, in all things that God commanded, they must and would obey, 
however his law might conflict with human law. And such is the 
principle that should govern every loyal subject of God's government. 

Ver. 30. The God of our fathers. — Peter now places in striking 
contrast their treatment of Christ with that of the God of Abraham, 
Isaac, a] id Jacob, of whom they boast. The being whom they stew 
and hanged on a tree, whom they treated most ignominiously, this 
God has glorified by raising him from the dead. 

Ver. 31. Him hath God exalted — with, or rather to, his right hand 
(Ps. ex. 1) — to he a Prince and a Saviour. — In Acts iii. 15, he is called 
" the Prince of life." He is our leader and king, and, as such, claims 
our obedience. He is also a Saviour to give repentance to Israel. 
Here repentance and forgiveness are presented as gifts of divine 
grace. He is the author of our salvation, as he " is the author and 
finisher of our faith" (Heb. xii. 2). In the work of redemption, 
Christ is ''all and in all." This by no means interferes with man's 
free will, but, rightly viewed, furnishes the greatest encouragement to 
the exercise of repentance and faith. 

Ver. 32. We are his witnesses. — The apostles were chosen by God 
to be witnesses of the facts in Christ's history, and the great truths of 
his religion. Nor were they alone in this ; for the Holy Ghost also 
bare witness through the miracles that were performed, through the 
signs and wonders that accompanied their work. WJwm God hath 
given to them that obey him. — Those who obeyed God, by believing in 
his Son Jesus Christ, were sealed by the Holy Spirit ; and those who 
are guided by the Spirit must obey God in all things. 

Ver. 33. They were cut to the heart. — Literally, they were sawn 
through : Tyndale says, They elate asunder. Instead of being filled with 
grief and repentance in view of their great sins, they were torn asunder 
with rage, by the bol charges made to their faces, by the apostles ; 
and at once took counsel to slay them. This was a long step forward 
in the march of persecution. 

Ver. 34. There stood up a Pharisee named Gamaliel. — Four facts are 
stated in regard to this man. First, he was a member of the Sanhe- 
drim. Second, he was a Pharisee. Third, he was a doctor, or teacher 
of the law. Fourth, he was a man of wide reputation, and highly 
esteemed in the community. As a Pharisee, he believed in the doc- 
trine of the resurrection, and hencfe did not sympathize with the 
Sadducees in their hostility to the apostles on this ground, whatever 
may have been his feelings on other grounds. Several distinguished 
persons of his name are mentioned in the Jewish records ; but he 
was probably the same Gamaliel who was the teacher of Saul of Tar- 
sus (Acts xxii. 3). 

Commanded to put the apostles forth a little space, — that is, allow 
them to retire for a short time, while the council deliberated on the 
case. 

Ver. 35. Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves. — Act with pru- 
dence in this matter, and do not hastily decide upon measures that 
you will afterwards regret. Weigh well what you intend to do with 
these men, whom some of you propose to put to death. This was 
good advice; and to him our Lord might have said, "Thou art not far 
from the kingdom of God" (Mark xii. 34). 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS, 1876. 91 

Yee. 36. There rose up Theudas. — There were several Jews of this 
name, who were leaders of insurrections in those troublesome times ; 
one mentioned by Josephus, who, some years later, raised a rebellion, 
and was destroyed with all his forces. The case mentioned by Ga- 
maliel was a familiar one to the members of the council, and served as 
an apt illustration of the point before him. This Theudas pretended 
to be a great prophet, or leader, and gathered about four hundred fol- 
lowers ; but the revolt was entirely quelled, and the whole movement 
came to nought. 

Yee. 37. After this man rose up Judas of Galilee. — This case is several 
times referred to by Josephus (Antiq. xvii. 10, 5; xviii. 1; xx. 5, 2,), 
who twice calls Judas a Galilsean, and once a G-aulonite, because he 
was born in Garnala, in Lower Gaulonitis. He led an insurrection 
in the days of the taxing; that is, about the twelfth year of Christ, 
when Judaea, as a Roman province, was attached to Syria, and Quiri- 
nus, or Cyrenius. then president of Syria, caused an enrolment of the 
property of the several provinces, preparatory to taxation. This the 
proud Jews resisted, and Judas led the opposition. He, however, 
perished ; and his followers were dispersed. 

Tees. 3S, 39. And now I say unto you. — Xow he makes a practical 
application of the general principle introduced by these illustrations, 
that all events are controlled by divine Providence, and whatever is 
of man's devices will come to nought, while what is of God cannot 
be overthrown. Therefore he says to the council, Refrain from these 
men. Let them alone. Leave them in the hands of God. If they 
are doing his will, we cannot stop them. If they are misguided 
fanatics, they will work out their own destruction ; and God will 
take care of the institutions and national interests that we represent. 
On the other hand, if we are in error, and oppose them, we may find 
ourselves in the position of fighting against God. And they, as Jews, 
needed no arguments to show how utterly vain it is to resist Omni- 
potence. 

Yee. 49. To him they agreed, so far as not to slay the apostles. His 
influence, his just reasoning, and the least sense of prudence, would 
dictate this. But they called the apostles in, and beat them. This 
was done to show that they had not without cause instituted pro- 
ceedings against them, and to punish them for disobeying their 
commands. Besides, if they are not allowed to kill them, they wish 
at least to give vent to their spite by scourging them. The scour- 
ging was usually done by " a whip with two lashes knotted with 
bones, or heavy indented circles of bronze ; or terminated by hooks, in 
which case it was aptly denominated a scorpion." 

Yee. 41. They departed . . . rejoicing that they were counted worthy 
to suffer shame for his name. — Of all who were engaged in these pro- 
ceedings, the happiest men were those who had been scourged. They 
departed with their hearts overflowing with joy. True, they had 
been insulted, and most unjustly treated, and doubtless were in pain 
from the scourging they had received ; but they felt in their souls the 
high honors conferred upon them, that they are counted worthy to 
suffer shame for the precious name of Jesus. The thought exalts 
their whole being, and fills them with sweet delight. It is a great 
thing to labor successf ullv for Christ, but it is a higher privilege to 
suffer for him. Study Phil. i. 29; Matt. v. 11, 12; Luke vi. 22, 23; 



92 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 

1 Pet. ii. 19, 20, — passages that glow with a truth radiant with celes- 
tial light. 

Yek. 42. And daily they ceased not to teach. — At the appointed 
hours for prayer in the temple, when large numbers were present for 
devotion, they continued to teach and preach the truths of the gospel, 
of Jesus Christ, and urge all to repentance and the exercise of faith. 
They also went from house to house, holding social meetings in 
different parts of the city, and reaching as many persons as possi- 
ble, with the influences of divine truth. Everywhere their great 
theme was " Jesus Christ and him crucified." 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS, 1876. 



93 



LESSON XII. —June 18. 



The Seven Chosen. — Acts vi. 1-15. 



1. And in those days, when the num- 
ber of the disciples was multiplied, there 
arose a murmuring of the Grecians 
against the Hebrews, because their wid- 
ows were neglected in the daily ministra- 
tion. 

2. Then the twelve called the multi- 
tude of the disciples unto them, and 
6aid, It is not reason that we should 
leave the word of God, and serve tables. 

3. "Wherefore, brethren, look ye out 
among you seven men of honest report, 
full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, 
whom we may appoint over this busi- 
ness. 

4. But we will give ourselves contin- 
ually to prayer, and to the ministry of 
the word. 

5. IT And the saying pleased the whole 
multitude: and they chose Stephen, a 
man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, 
and Pliilip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, 
and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas 
a proselyte of Antioch : 

6. Whom they set before the apostles : 
and when they had prayed, they laid their 
hands on them. 

7. And the word of God increased ; and 
the number of the disciples multiplied 
in Jerusalem greatly ; and a great com- 
pany of the priests were obedient to the 
faith. 



8. And Stephen, full of faith and pow- 
er, did great wonders and miracles 
among the people. 

9. IT Then there arose certain of the 
synagogue, which is called the synagogue 
of the Libertines, and Cyreuians, and 
Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia 
and of Asia, disputing with Stephen. 

10. And they were not able to resist 
the wisdom and the spirit by which he 
spake. 

11. Then they suborned men, which 
said, We have heard him speak blasphe- 
mous words against Moses, and against 
God. 

12. And they stirred up the people, and 
the elders, and the scribes, and came 
upon him. and caught him, and brought 
him to the council, 

13. And set up false witnesses, which 
said, This man ceaseth not to speak 
blasphemous words against this holy 
place, and the law: 

14. For we have heard him say, that 
this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this 
place, and shall change the customs 
which Moses delivered us. 

15. And all that sat in the council, 
looking steadfastly on him, saw his face 
as it had been the face of an angel. 



Vee. 1. And in those days. — Some time after the events recorded 
in the preceding chapter, and when the disciples had greatly multi- 
plied, the interests and claims of different classes produced the first 
dissension in the Church. This was more alarming than the threats 
of enemies outside, because it might disturb the unity, and mar the 
purity, which had characterized the body in the past. But it led, 
under a merciful Providence, to the institution of a new office, that 
of deacons, and to the development of a Christian worker whose zeal, 
boldness, and heroic faith in the hour of a cruel death, forms one of 
the most impressive and illustrious chapters in the early history of 
the Church. 

TJiere arose a murmuring of the Grecians, — or, rather, Hellenists. 
These were Jews who were born and resided in Grecian cities, and 
spoke the Grecian language. This was a very numerous class, and 
formed a majority of the converts on the day of Pentecost. Many 
had doubtless taken up their residence at Jerusalem, rather than 
return to their native cities. 

The Hebrews were the native-born Jews, who spoke the Hebrew, 
i.e., the Aramaean (Syro-Chaldaic) language, and regarded the Helle- 
nists as an inferior class. These, having the care of the common fund 



94 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 

provided for the poor by the liberality of the rich converts, failed, as 
it would seem, to give to the widows of the Hellenists their due pro- 
portion of relief, while the native Jews were liberally supplied. The 
neglect may have been intentional, growing out of early animosities 
that grace had not entirely purged from the heart, or it may have 
arisen from the large number to be supplied in the daily ministrations 
of food and money. 

Vetc. 2. Then the twelve called the multitude. — They assembled, not, 
probably, the entire membership of the Church, but those who were at 
Jerusalem; and thus all had the opportunity of sharing in the rule of 
the Church, while the divinely appointed officers gave general direc- 
tions. 

It is not reason, &c. — It is not satisfactory or suitable, that we 
should leave the higher and more important work of teaching the 
word of God, to distribute the daily supplies for the tables. It was 
their special calling to provide spiritual food for the soul, while others 
could well attend to the wants of the poor ; and thus a division of 
labor would be for the benefit of all classes. 

Veb. 3. Wherefore, brethren, look ye out, &c. — They are called 
upon to select seven men, not only with a reputation for strict hon- 
esty, but full of the Holy Ghost and of wisdom, men of ardent piety 
and sound practical judgment. They must be men capable of admin- 
istering the temporal affairs of the Church with discretion, and also, 
while distributing to the physical necessities of the poor, capable of 
adding words of spiritual comfort or advice, as the recipients of their 
bounty may require. 

Ver. 4. We will give ourselves continually to prayer. — Prayer, and 
the preaching of God's word, are the two great duties of the gospel 
minister. Prayer fills his soul with light and truth from above; and 
by preaching he communicates to others the treasures he has received. 

Ver. 5. The saying pleased the whole multitude. — The plan was 
unanimously adopted ; and thus another office was added to the apos- 
tolic, which contributed to the organic structure of the church. 
Stephen was the first chosen, a man full of faith and the Holy Ghost. 
He and all his associates, many suppose, were Hellenists, or foreign 
Jews, and were selected to satisfy the complaints that had been made. 
This is inferred from their Greek names, though it is quite probable 
that some of the seven were Hebrews. To the remarkable history of 
Stephen, the first elected deacon of the Church of Christ, the second 
part of this chapter, and the whole of the next, are devoted. Philip 
was a successful evangelist, as well as a deacon, and, after the death 
of Stephen, preached the gospel in Samaria. (See Acts viii. 5, 6.) 
He taught an officer of the court of Candace the way of salvation 
(Acts viii. 26-31), and is spoken of as an evangelist in Acts xxi. 8. Of 
the history of the other five, nothing is known. Nicolas is spoken of 
as a proselyte of Antioch ; that is, he was a Gentile Greek who became 
converted to the Jewish faith, and afterwards embraced the gospel. 
Antioch was a city of Syria, and the birthplace of the Gentile Chris- 
tian Church (Acts xi. 19-22). Here the disciples were first called 
Christians (Acts xi. 26). 

Ver. 6. WJiom they set before the apostles. — The seven who had 
been chosen to serve as deacons of the church were now presented to 
the apostles, who solemnly set them apart to this office with prayer 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS, 1876. 95 

and the imposition of hands. The laying-on of hands, when one was 
inducted into office, was a very ancient Jewish custom. (See Gen. 
xlviii. 14; Num. xxvii. 18, 19). It was adopted by the apostles as the 
outward form cf conveying the blessings of the Holy Spirit upon the 
disciples (Acts viii. 17, xix. 6). In this case it was not only the sign 
of the gift of the Spirit, but also that the deacons, though elected by 
the Church, derived their commission and authority from Christ, 
through the apostles. 

Ver. 7. And the word of God increased. — The danger of a rupture 
in the Church having been happily averted, and the spirit of union 
having been restored, the work of God rapidly advanced. The faith- 
ful labors of the newly appointed deacons doubtless contributed to 
this ; while the apostles, relieved of the special care of the poor, were 
able to give themselves more fully to the spiritual interests of the 
Church. One remarkable result of the influences of divine grace was 
the conversion of a great company of the priests. They had been 
among the most violent opposers and persecutors of Christ and his 
apostles; but God could "purify the sons of Levi," and purge them 
<c that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness " 
(Mai. hi. 3). 

Ver. 8. And Stephen, full of faith and power. — Faith always con- 
fers power. Any Christian who is full of faith, whether a minister, 
deacon, or private member, is full of power to work successfully for 
the Lord. We do not wonder that Stephen, thus filled, did great won- 
ders and miracles among the people. As the duties of his office took 
him among the poor and the sick, he had opportunities for working 
miracles, and thus was enabled, in the most effectual manner, to 
relieve those in distress. He was also eminently qualified to confer 
the highest spiritual benefits upon all within his reach. Well has it 
been said, "Stephen, a star of the first magnitude in the constellation 
of the seven deacons." "A single servant who is full of grace and 
the Spirit, accomplishes more in the Church than a hundred servants 
who are without the Spirit." 

Ver. 9. There arose certain of the synagogue. — The wonders and 
miracles wrought by Stephen, and the knowledge and eloquence he 
displayed in bearing witness to Christ, awakened the envy and jeal- 
ousy of the unbelieving Jews, especially the Hellenistic Jews with 
whom he had been formerly associated. Becoming excited, they en- 
tered into discussions, or debates, with him. Jews from foreign coun- 
tries, who came to reside or worship at Jerusalem, had their own syn- 
agogues, some of which are here named. Those from Cyrene, a large 
and powerful city in Africa, had " a synagogue of the Cyrenians," with 
whom, perhaps, the Alexandrians were united, or they may have had a 
separate synagogue. The Cilicians, and those from Proconsular Asia, 
also had synagogues, or, as some suppose, united in one. At this 
time, according to the Rabbinic writers, the synagogues at Jerusalem 
numbered four hundred and eighty. That of the Alexandrians was 
prominent, as at that period there were about a hundred thousand Jews 
residing at Alexandria. The Libertines were " probably Jewish freed 
men from Eome, who had been taken captive by Pompey, and after- 
wards manumitted, with the privilege of retaining their religion." 
These various classes of foreign Jews disputed with Stephen, en- 
deavoring to destroy the force of his arguments in favor of the Mes- 
siah. 



96 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 

Ver. 10. They were not able to resist, &c. — They could not with- 
stand the wisdom, and the (Holy) Spirit, hy which he was inspired to 
speak. His arguments, clothed with wisdom from above, were invin- 
cible. The promise was fulfilled to him, " I will give you a mouth, 
and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay, 
or resist" (Luke xxi. 15). 

Ver. 11. They suborned men. — These Hellenistic Jews, unable to 
refute the doctrines and arguments of Stephen in favor of the Chris- 
tian religion, resort to cunning to effect his ruin. They procured 
false witnesses, and privately instructed them to circulate as widely 
as possible the charge that they had heard Stephen utter blasphe- 
mies against Moses and against God himself. Their object was to 
influence public opinion to his disadvantage, and furnish the magis- 
trates an opportunity to institute legal proceedings against him. 

Ver. 12. They stirred up the people and the elders. — They raised 
a popular tumult against Stephen, and also aroused the members of 
the Sanhedrim ; and unexpectedly, perhaps while he was engaged in 
some errand of mercy, they seized him, and brought him before the 
council. This was the first occasion on which the common people 
united with the authorities in hostility to the Christians. Heretofore 
the priests and elders had found the population of the city in their 
way : now the tide has turned, and the current of the population is 
with them, and bears them along in opposition to the Christians. 

Vers. 13, 14. And set up false witnesses, &c. — Their testimony 
was false, as regards the meaning they put upon Stephen's words. 
They maliciously pervert his language; just as in the case of our 
Lord, where false witnesses perverted his words in regard to the tem- 
ple (Matt. xxvi. 60, 61). They also exaggerate the case by saying 
that he ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words. The charge is not, 
as before, " against Moses and God" (ver. 11); but, against this holy 
place (the temple or Jerusalem), and the law, the ceremonial law of 
Moses. Probably Stephen repeated, in the course of his address, 
Christ's prophecies, recorded in Matt. xxiv. ; Luke xxi. ; John 
iv. 21. The customs of 3£oses, that is, the ceremonial rites and insti- 
tutions of the Jewish faith, were changed by the destruction of the 
temple (Heb. xii. 27, 28; viii. 13). 

Ver. 15. Looking steadfastly on Mm. — Attracted by the unusual 
appearance of his countenance, they looked steadfastly on him, and 
observed that his face was lighted up as with an angelic radiance, 
" revealing not only the courage of a man, a divine inspiration, and 
holy serenity of the soul, but also the brightness of a preternatural 
light like that of Moses " (Exod. xxxiv. 29, 30). It was the light or 
glory reflected from the face of Jesus Christ. 



THIRD QUAKTER 



LESSONS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT. 



LESSON I.— July 2. 



David's Charge to Solomon. — 1 Cheon. xxviii. 1-10. 



1. And David assembled all the princes 
of Israel, the princes of the tribes, and 
the captains of the companies that min- 
istered to the king by course, and the 
captains over the thousands, and cap- 
tains over the hundreds, and the stew- 
ards over all the substance and posses- 
sion of the king, and of his sons, with 
the officers, and with the mighty men, 
and with all the valiant men, unto Jeru- 
salem. 

2. Then David the king stood up upon 
his feet, and said, Hear me, my brethren, 
and my people: As for me, I hid in 
mine heart to build a house of rest for 
the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and 
for the footstool of our God, and had 
made ready for the building: 

3. But God said unto me, Thou shalt 
not build a house for my name, because 
thou h ist been a man of war, and hast 
shed blood. 

4. Howbeit the Lord God of Israel chose 
me before all the house of my father to 
bo king over Israel forever : for ho hath 
chosen Judah to be the ruler ; and of the 
house of Judah, the house of my father; 
and among the sons of my father he liked 
me to make me long over all Israel : 

5. And of all my sons (for the Lord 



hath given me many sons), he hath chosen 
Solomon my son to sit upon the throne 
of the kingdom of the Lord over Israel. 

6. And he said unto me, Solomon thy 
son, he shall build my house and my 
courts: for I have chosen him to be my 
son, and I will be liis father. 

7. Moreover I will establish his king- 
dom forever, if he be constant to do my 
commandments and my judgments, as at 
this day. 

8. Now, therefore, in the sight of all 
Israel the congregation of the Lord, and 
in the audience of our God, keep and 
seek for all the commandments of the 
Lord your God : that ye may possess this 
good land, and leave it for an inheritance 
for your children after you forever. 

9. IT And thou. Solomon my son, know 
thou the God of thy father, and serve 
him with a perfect heart and with a will- 
ing mind: for the Lord scarcheth a]l 
hearts, and understandeth all the im- 
aginations of tlvo thoughts : if thou seek 
him, he will bo found of thee; but if 
thou forsake him, he will cast thee off 
forever. 

10. Take heed now ; for the Lord hath 
chosen thee to build a house for the 
sanctuary ; be strong, and do it. 



Solomon was the youngest son of David and Bathsheba, and from 
his birth was the object of his father's special affections. He was 
committed to the care of Nathan the prophet, who called him Jedi- 
diah, i.e., " loved of Jehovah" (2 Sam. xii. 25). 

In the declining years of David, his eldest surviving son, Adonijah, 
made a great display with his chariots and horsemen, and endeavored 
to place himself upon the throne (1 Kings i. 5). He was aided by 
Joab, the commander of the army, and by Abiathar, one of the chief 
priests (1 Kings i. 7). The prophet Nathan conferred with Bathsheba, 
the mother of Solomon, and the king's favorite; and the y appeared 

97 



98 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 

before David, and persuaded him to appoint Solomon as his successor 
to the throne (1 Kings i. 11-30). 

Thus the plot of Adonijah was defeated, and Solomon was anointed 
king (1 Kings i. 39). This event took place, as nearly as can he ascer- 
tained, 1015 B.C. 

Yee. 1. David assembled all the jrrinces of Israel. — The time was 
drawing near when David must die. When upon his death-bed, he 
gave a most solemn and touching charge to his son Solomon, to be 
strong, show himself to be a man, to walk in the ways and keep the 
statutes of the Lord (1 Kings ii. 1-11). But this charge following the 
exhortation to the princes and people was given previously, and in 
the presence of the leading men of the nation. The names of the 
princes of the tribes of Israel are given in 1 Chron. xxvii. 16-22. 
These were the men of the highest rank. 

Captains of the companies. — The twelve generals mentioned in 
chap, xxvii. 1-15. 

The stewards and officers. — These included the eunuchs, attendants 
on the court, and formed a general and mixed company, very differ- 
ent from that mentioned in chap, xxiii. 2. 

Yee. 2. Hear me, my brethren. — David, being a constitutional 
king, addresses the assembly in a respectful and courteous manner. 

I had in mine heart. — David purposed, or designed, to build a house 
for the ark of God (2 Sam. vii. 2). 

For the footstool of our God. — " God seated between the cherubim, 
at the two extremities of the ark, might be said to be enthroned in 
his glory, and the coverlet of the ark to be his footstool." — Jamieson. 

He had made ready for the building. — He had made preparations, 
and amassed sufficient treasures to build a temple, according to the 
plan given to Solomon. Thus he proved the sincerity of his pious 
intentions. 

Yee. 3. TJwu hast been a man of war. — The temple of God at 
Jerusalem, which was to stand as a type of the church of the Prince 
of peace, it was proper should be erected by a peaceful sovereign. 
Hence Solomon was selected, whose reign was one of unbroken peace. 
David had done his work, by subduing the enemies of God's people, 
and bringing the nation into a condition where a splendid memorial 
of their religion could be erected for the worship of the one living and 
true God. 

Yee. 4. The Lord . . . chose me ... to be king, — i.e., it was not 
my valor, or merit, or even by the law of primogeniture, that I was 
made king over Israel. It was purely the sovereign grace of God that 
selected the tribe, and then the family, and then myself, — the young- 
est of the sons, — and anointed me to take the throne. 

Yee. 5. He hath chosen Solomon. — This is intimated in chap, 
xvii. 12, with promises of God's special favor (chap. xvii. 14, 15. See 
also 2 Sam. vii. 12-16), which brings out also God's sovereign mercy. 

Yee. 6. He shall build my house and my courts. — What high hon- 
ors are thus conferred upon Solomon ! He is chosen to be king over 
Israel; to build God's temple, the light of which shall fill the earth; 
and, more than all, to be God's son; and the promise is, "I will be 
to him a father." 

Yee. 7. I will establish his kingdom forever, if he be constant. — All 
God's promises to his children are conditijnal. A throne that is to 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS, 1876. 99 

stand forever must rest upon the obedience and faithfulness of its 
occupant. Surely Solomon has every motive to obey the precepts of 
the Lord his G-od. 

Ver. 8. In the sight of all Israel. — Those who are present, and all 
the people whom they represent, are urged to keep the commands of 
God, that they may enjoy prosperity, and leave the good land as an 
inheritance for their children. 

Vers. 9-10. And now, Solomon my son. — The venerable king and 
father now turns to his son, and, in a most solemn and affectionate 
manner, presses upon him the necessity of knowing, and serving with 
a perfect heart and a willing mind, Him who searches our hearts, and 
understandeth all our thoughts. He warns him against forsaking 
God. As he is selected to build " an house for the sanctuary," he 
urges him to be strong, — strong in righteousness, and in devotion to 
the God of Israel. 



100 



EXPLANATORY NOTES. 



LESSON II. —July 9. 

Solomon's Choice. — 2 Chbon. i. 1-17. 



1. And Solomon the son of David was 
strengthened in his kingdom, and the 
Lord his God was with him, and magni- 
fied him exceedingly. 

2. Then Solomon spake unto all Israel, 
to the captains of thousands and of hun- 
dreds, and to the judges, and to every 

f;overnor in all Israel, the chief of the 
athers. 

3. So Solomon, and all the congrega- 
tion with him, went to the high place 
that was at Gibeon; for there was the 
tabernacle of the congregation of God, 
which Moses the servant of the Lord had 
made in the wilderness. 

4. But the ark of God had David 
brought up from Ivirjath-jearira to the 
place which David had prepared for it: 
for he had pitched a tent for it at Jeru- 
salem. 

5. Moreover the brazen altar, that Be- 
zaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, 
had made, he put before the tabernacle 
of the Lord ; and Solomon and the con- 
gregation sought unto it. 

6. And Solomon went up thither to 
the brazen altar before the Lord, which 
was at the tabernacle of the congrega- 
tion, and offered a thousand burnt offer- 
ings upon it. 

7. IT In that night did God appear un- 
to Solomon, and said unto him, Ask 
what I shall give thee. 

8. And Solomon said unto God, Thou 
hast showed great mercy unto David my 
father, and hast made me to reign in bis 
stead. 

9. Now, O Lord God, let thy promise 
unto David my father be established: 
for thou hast made me king over a peo- 
ple like the dust of the earth in multitude. 

10. Give me now wisdom and knowl- 
edge, that I may go out and come in be- 



fore this people : for who can judge this 
thy people, that is so great? 

11. And God said to Solomon, Because 
this was in thine heart, and thou hast not 
asked riches, wealth, or honor, nor the 
life of thine enemies, neither yet hast 
asked long lif e ; but hast asked wisdom 
and knowledge for thyself, that thou 
mayest judge my people, over whom I 
have made thee king : 

12. Wisdom and knowledge is granted 
unto thee; and I will give thee riches, 
and wealth, and honor, such as none of 
the kings have had that have been before 
thee, neither shall there any after thee 
have the like. 

13. IT Then Solomon came from his 
journey to the high place that was at 
Gibeon to Jerusalem, from before the 
tabernacle of the congregation, and 
reigned over Israel. 

14. And Solomon gathered chariots 
and horsemen : and he had a thousand 
and four hundred chariots, and twelve 
thousand horsemen, which he placed in 
the chariot cities, and with the king at 
Jerusalem . 

15. And the king made silver and gold 
at Jerusalem as plenteous as stones, and 
cedar-trees made he as the sycamore- 
trees that are in the vale for abundance. 

16. And Solomon had horses brought 
out of Egypt, and linen yarn : the king's 
merchants received the linen yarn at 
a price. 

17. And they fetched up, and brought 
forth out of Egypt a chariot for six hun- 
dred shekels of" silver, and a horse for a 
hundred and fifty : and so brought they 
out horses for all the kings of the Hit- 
tites, and for the kings of Syria, by their 
means. 



David reigned forty years ; seven years at Hebron, and thirty-three 
years in Jerusalem (1 Chron. xxix. 27). He died at seventy years of 
age, "full of days, riches, and honors" (1 Chron. xxix. 2S). His his- 
tory is one of remarkable incidents, noble deeds, providential deliv- 
erances, great prosperity, and various crimes. He was a statesman, 
a warrior, and a poet. He was a lover of the divine law, and ren- 
dered important services that contributed to the religious elevation of 
the kingdom, and to the glory of God. As the sweet Psalmist of 
Israel, he will ever be honored and held in grateful remembrance by 
the whole Church. 

Some time before David's death, Solomon, at the age of eighteen, 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS, 1876. 101 

was made king to reign after his father (1 Kings i. 33-35). This was 
at the time of the conspiracy of Adonijah, and was designed to crush 
it. Afterwards he was made king a second time, and anointed unto 
the Lord to be the chief governor (1 Chron. xxix. 22). He was 
anointed theocratic king in Israel. God was still the supreme ruler 
of the people, and Solomon was his vicegerent. While the throne 
was hereditary in the house of David, according to the divine prom- 
ise, Jehovah held the right of election, and preferred Solomon before 
all his brethren. 

Yer. 1. God was with him, and magnified him greatly. — God is the 
source of true power and prosperity to individuals and nations, kings 
and subjects. The whole history of Israel most strikingly confirms 
and illustrates this. 

Yer. 2. Solomon spake to all Israel. — The youthful king, influ- 
enced by his love and reverence for God, summoned the chief officers 
of the nation, the captains, judges, and governors, to attend him in a 
solemn religious procession. This occured in the second year of 
Solomon's reign. 

Yers. 3-5. Gibeon was a Levitical city in the tribe of Benjamin, 
situated upon an eminence six miles north of Jerusalem. It is 
selected by Solomon for the performance of his sacred rites, because 
the tabernacle made by Moses, and all the ancient furniture con- 
nected with the national worship, were there. Zadok was the high 
priest, and, with his brethren the priests, was appointed to offer, 
morning and evening, burnt offerings unto the Lord, upon the altar 
(1 Chron. xvi. 39, 40). The ark was in the new tent which David 
made for it in Jerusalem ; but the time-honored altar, made in the 
wilderness five hundred years before by the skill of Bezaleel (Exod. 
xxxviii. 1), was before the tabernacle at Gibeon. 

Yer. 6. Offered a thousand burnt offerings upon it. — This great 
offering was made as a national expression of reverence for the God 
of Israel, penitence for past sins, and was such as became the rank 
of the offerer. 

Yers. 7-11. In that night did God appear unto Solomon. — Con- 
necting this account with that given in 1 Kings iii. 5-15, we find that 
Solomon had retired to rest with his mind in a high state of religious 
fervor, produced by the services in which he had been engaged. He 
had doubtless prayed earnestly for wisdom ; and, in his sleep, God 
appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Ask what I shall give thee." 
Again he asks for wisdom and knowledge, that he may administer 
the government with discretion, justice, and success. His request is 
granted. What he prays for in his waking hours, is answered in a 
night vision. 

Yer. 12. And I will give thee riches, and wealth, and honor. — A 
distinction is made here between general riches, and the wealth that 
consists in precious stones, treasures, and tribute-money. These, 
with honor, are given in addition to the wisdom and knowledge 
asked for and promised. Those who make riches the great aim of 
life often fail to obtain them ; while those who seek and find wisdom 
discover that "length of days is in her right hand, and, in her left 
hand, riches and honor" (Prov. iii. 16, viii. 18; 1 Tim. iv. 8). 

Yer. 14. Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen. — "His passion 
for horses was greater than that of any Israelitish monarch before or 



102 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 

after him. His stud comprised fourteen hundred chariots and twelve 
thousand horses. This was a prohibited indulgence, whether as an 
instrument of luxury or power. But it was not merely for his own 
use, that he imported the horses of Egypt. The immense equestrian 
establishment he erected was not for show merely, but also for profit. 
The Egyptian breed of horses was highly valued ; and being as fine as 
Arabians, but larger and more powerful, as clearly appears from the 
monuments, they were well fitted for being yoked in chariots. They 
were light, but compact and solid vehicles, without springs." — Jamie- 
son. 

Yee. 15. Made silver and gold . . . as plenteous as stones. — David 
had accumulated immense treasures, which Solomon had inherited ; but 
he added largely to them by trade and commerce with other nations. 
His vessels went to distant shores, and returned laden with gold 
and costly merchandise. As a monarch, he possessed advantages for 
trade greatly superior to any of his subjects. Like the multiplica- 
tion of horses, however, the accumulation of silver and gold was pro- 
hibited to a theocratic king (see Deut. xvii. 16, 17). 

Yee. 16. Linen yarn, at a price. — These words sound strangely in 
the midst of a description of horses and chariots imported from 
Egypt. Gesenius, followed by Keil, gives this meaning to the pas- 
sage : " And a company, or caravan, of the king's merchants (traders), 
brought a troop, or string, of horses, from Egypt, at a price." The 
original Hebrew word signifies " a collection," " a gathering," and is 
nowhere used to denote linen yarn. 

Yee. 17. A chariot for six hundred shekels of silver. — A shekel 
was a weight, and, before the exile, was used as uncoined money. 
Contributions to the temple were paid in silver shekels (Exod. xxx. 
13), also the fines for offences (Exod. xxi. 22 ; Deut. xxii. 19, 29 ; Lev. 
v. 15), taxes exacted by kings or governors (2 Kings xv. 20; Neh. v. 
15), purchasable articles (2 Sam. xxi v. 24; 2 Kings vii. 1), &c. In all 
cases, probably, the term "pieces" of silver means shekels. The 
first coin which bore the name of shekel appeared after the exile, in 
the time of the Maccabees, and bore the inscription, "Shekel of 
Israel." 

In the time of Solomon, there seems to have been a difference 
between the sacred shekel (Exod. xxx. 13) and the shekel after the 
king's weight (2 Sam. xiv. 26), which cannot be accurately deter- 
mined. Estimating, however, the shekel at 2s. 3d. or 2s. 6d., a chariot 
that brought six hundred shekels would be worth £68 9s. or £75 ; 
while a horse at one hundred and fifty shekels would cost £17 2s. or 
£18 15s.. A single chariot with two horses would be worth £112 
sterling. 

For all the kings of the Hittites and . . . of Syria. — After the 
Hittites were expelled from Palestine, a portion of the tribe settled 
north of Lebanon, and acquired large possessions contiguous to the 
Syrians. "With them, as well as the Syrians, who could import the 
Egyptian horses only through Judaea, a very lucrative trade was estab- 
lished. The agents purchased them in the markets of Egypt, and 
brought them to the "chariot cities." Here depots and stables were 
erected on the frontiers of the kingdom ; such as, Beth-marcaboth, 
"the house of chariots," and Hazor-suzah, "the village of horses" 
(Josh. xix. 5; 1 Kings x. 26). 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS, 1876. 



103 



LESSON III.— July 16. 



Solomon's Temple. — 2 Cheon. iii. 1-17. 



1. Then Solomon began to build the 
house of the Lord at Jerusalem in 
Mount Moriah, where the Lord appeared 
unto David his father, in the place that 
David had prepared in the threshing- 
floor of Oman the Jebusite. 

2. And he began to build in the second 
day of the second month, in the fourth 
year of his reign. 

3. IT Now these are the things wherein 
Solomon was instructed for the building 
of the house of God. The length by 
cubits after the first measure was tliree- 
score cubits, and the breadth twenty 
cubits. 

4. And the porch that was in the front 
of the house, the length of it was accord- 
ing to the breadth of the house, twenty 
cubits, and the height was a hundred 
and twenty : and he overlaid it within 
with pure gold. 

5. And the greater house he ceiled 
with fir-tree, which he overlaid with fine 
gold, and set thereon palm-trees and 
chains. 

6. And he garnished the house with 
precious stones for beauty : and the gold 
was gold of Parvaim. 

7. He overlaid also the house, the 
beams, the posts, and the walls thereof, 
and the doors thereof, with gold; and 
graved cherubims on the walls. 

8. And he made the most holy house, 
the length whereof icas according to the 
breadth of the house, twenty cubits, and 
the breadth thereof twenty cubits : and 
he overlaid it with fine gold, amounting 
to six hundred talents. 



9. And the weight of the nails was 
fifty shekels of gold. And he overlaid 
the upper chambers with gold. 

10. And in the most holy house he 
made two cherubims of image work, 
and overlaid them with gold. 

11. IT And the wings of the cherubims 
were twenty cubits long: one wing of 
the one cherub zcas five cubits, reaching 
to the wall of the house ; and the other 
wing was lilceimse five cubits, reaching 
to the wing of the other cherub. 

12. And one wing of the other cherub 
icas five cubits, reaching to the wall of 
the house ; and the other wing was five 
cubits also, joining to the wing of the 
other cherub. 

13. The wings of these cherubims 
spread themselves forth twenty cubits ; 
and they stood on their feet, and their 
faces tcere inward. 

14. IT And he made the veil of blue, 
and purple, and crimson, and fine linen, 
and wrought cherubims thereon. 

15. Also he made before the house 
two pillars of thirty and five cubits high, 
and the chapiter that was on the top of 
each of them was five cubits. 

16. And he made chains, as in the 
oracle, and put them on the heads of the 
pillars ; and made a hundred pomegran- 
ates, and put them on the chains. 

17. And he reared up the pillars before 
the temple, one on the right hand, and 
the other on the left; and caUed the 
name of that on the right hand Jachin, 
and the name of that oh the left Boaz. 



The beginning of Solomon's reign was rendered illustrious by his 
extensive preparations to build a temple for the worship of God. The 
erection of a palace for himself is here and elsewhere only incidentally 
noticed (2 Chron. ii. 1, 2). He shows his wisdom by making the 
honor of God, and the religious development of the nation, the chief 
objects of attention. 

A correspondence is opened with Huram, the king of Tyre, for aid 
based upon two reasons: 1. " The temple he proposed to build must 
be a solid and permanent building, because the worship was to be 
continued in perpetuity; and therefore the materials were required to 
be of the most durable quality. 2. It must be a magnificent structure, 
because it was to be dedicated to the God who was greater than all 
gods ; and therefore, as it might seem a presumptuous idea to erect 
an edifice for a Being whom the heaven and the heaven of heavens 
do not contain, it was explained that Solomon's object was not to 



104 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 

build a house for him to dwell in, but a temple iu which hi? wor- 
shipper? might offer sacrifices 10 his honor. Xo Language could be 
more humble and appropriate than this. The pious strain of senti- 
ment was such as became a king of Israel." — Jami son, 2 Chron. 
ii. 3- 

Huram replied to Solomon, in a most respectful and pious manner, 
showing thar he had attained some knowledge of the true God. He 
sent a very skilful workman, whose mother was an Israelite and his 
father a Tyrian: as some have hinted, an omen of uniting Jew and 
Gentile in the gospel-temple (2 Chron. ii. 11-14). 

Besides the numerous war-captives in the kingdom of Israel, there 
were multitudes of foreigners who. without having received circum- 
cision, yet conformed to the rites of the Jewish religion. Some idea 
of the vast number of these sojourners may be derived from the fact 
that one hundred and fifty-three thousand of them were deemed fit 
to be employed in the erection of the temple, and about four thou- 
sand were selected for their intelligence and integrity, to be overseers 
of various departments of the work. In the times of Samuel and 
David, strangers took up their residence in Israel, and found employ- 
ment there (1 Chron. xxii. 2). But the fame of Solomon, that 
attracted princes and ambassadors from foreign lands, also stimulated 
immigration from the surrounding countries : and multitudes came 
to participate in tlie prosperity of a nation distinguished for its wise 
rulers, its commercial enterprise, and the encouragement given to the 
liberal and useful arts. 

Tze. 1. Solomon began to build the house of the Lord . . . in 
Mount Moriah. — On this mount Abraham was about to offer up his 
son Isaac (Gen. xxii. 1. 2) : and here David interceded for his people, 
at the threshing-floor of Ornan. or Araunah ^2 Sam. xxiv. 18). "In 
Eastern countries the site of the threshing-floor is selected according 
to the same principles which might guide us in the selection of the 
site of windmills. TVe find them usually on the tops of hills, which 
are on all sides exposed to the winds, the current of which is required 
in order to separate the grain from the chaff. It seems that the sum- 
mit of Moriah. although large enough for the agricultural purposes 
of Araunah. had no level sufficient for the plans of Solomon. Ac- 
cording to Josephus. the foundations of the temple were laid on a 
steep eminence, the summit of which was at first insufficient for the 
temple and the altar. As it was surrounded by precipices, it became 
necessary to build up walls and buttresses in order to gain more 
ground by filling up the interval with earth. The hill was also forti- 
fied by a threefold wall, the lowest tier of which was in some places 
more than three hundred cubits high : and the depth of the foundation 
was not visible, because it had been necessary, in some parts, to dig 
deep into the ground in order to obtain sufficient support. The 
dimensions of the stones of which the walls were composed were 
enormous. Josephus mentions a length of forty cubits. It is. how- 
ever, likely that some parts of the fortifications of Moriah were added 
at a later period. The characteristics of the site of the Solomonic 
temple have undergone so many changes that it is at present scarcely 
possible to discern them." — Kitto. 

Tze. 3. Now these are the things wherein Solomon was instructed. 
— First, in regard to the dimensions of the temple, according to the 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS, 1876. 105 

specifications given by his father. These are given in cubits; but 
opinions differ as to the length of a cubit, some making it eighteen, 
and others twenty-one inches. The ground-form of the temple was 
like that of the tabernacle, only twice as large, while its materials 
were more solid and durable. It was a rectangular building, seventy 
cubits long from east to west, and twenty cubits wide from north to 
south, and thirty high. The dimensions given by Josephus vary from 
these ; and it is difficult to reconcile the two statements. 

Ver. 4. The porch was twenty cubits in length, according to the 
breadth of the house, and rose to a height of an hundred and twenty 
cubits. It had the appearance of a tower, or the gateway of a palace. 

He overlaid it within with pure gold. — It should be remembered 
that it was the internal splendor of the temple, and the vast courts 
and buildings attached to it, that constituted its grandeur, rather than 
the size of the edifice itself. 

Ver. 5. The greater house, — i. e., the holy places, that were con- 
nected with folding doors that were opened and shut with golden 
chains. The length, according to 1 Kings vi. 17, was forty cubits 
long from east to west, i. e., from the porch to the oracle. The wood 
was beautifully embellished with figures in relievo, of palm-trees and 
flowers. 

Yer. 6. He garnished the house with precious stones. — It was an 
ancient custom, among the Orientals, to embellish the walls of their 
rooms with stones having veins of various colors ; and thus Solomon 
may have garnished the temple; also the marble that formed the 
pavement was very precious and beautiful. 

Yer. 7. He overlaid the house, &c, with gold. — "The whole in- 
terior was lined with boards richly decorated with carved work, clus- 
ters of foliage and flowers, among which the pomegranate and lotus, 
or water-lily, were conspicuous ; and overlaid, excepting the floor, 
with gold, either by gilding or in plates (1 Kings vi.). — Jamieson. 

Yer. 8. The most holy house. — This was a perfect cube, twenty 
cubits in length, breadth, and height (see 1 Kings vi. 20). It was 
separated from the sanctuary by an impervious veil (Luke xxiii. 45), 
and was probably wholly dark (1 Kings viii. 12), but for the glory of 
the Lord that filled it. 

Overlaid with fine gold, amounting to six hundred talents. — At £4 
per ounce, this is equal to £3,600,000. 

Yer. 9. The weight of the nails. — Dr. A. Clark thinks that bolts 
are here intended. 

Vers. 10-13. Two cherubim. — The cherubim that Moses was com- 
manded to make for the ark in the tabernacle were of pure gold, and 
were placed "in the two ends of the mercy-seat" (Exod. xxv. 18). 
But these "were made of olive-wood overlaid with gold. They were 
of colossal size, like the Assyrian sculptures, for each with expanded 
wings covered a space of ten cubits in height and length. Two wings 
touched each other, while the other two reached the opposite wall. 
Their faces were inward towards the most holy house, conformably 
to their use, which was to veil the ark." — Jamieson. 

Ver. 14. The veil. — The Hebrew signifies the divider, the separa- 
te^ which hung between the holy and the, most holy place. This 
richly wrought veil was suspended upon "the chains of gold before 
the oracle" (1 Kings vi. 21). 



106 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 

Yer. 15. Two pillars. — Compare the account in 1 Kings vii. 15-22. 
These pillars were hollow and of brass, their united height being 
thirty-five cubits ; or, a half-cubit being taken up by the capital or the 
base, the exact dimensions were thirty-six cubits. Each was from 
eighteen to twenty-one feet in circumference, and forty feet in height. 

Yer. 16. And he made chains . . . and an hundred pomegranates. — 
These pillars, or obelisks as some call them, were most richly orna- 
mented. Combining with this description the more full account in 
1 Kings vi. 17-19, we find nets of checker-work, i. e., "branch-work 
representing the branches of palm-trees ; and wreaths of chain- work, 
plaited in the form of a chain, composing a sort of crown or garland. 
Seven of these were wound in festoons on one capital, and over and 
underneath them fringes, one hundred in a row. Two rows of pome- 
granates strung on chains ran round the capital, which itself was of a 
bowl-like, or globular form. These rows were designed to form a 
binding to the ornamental work to keep it from falling asunder ; and 
they were so placed as to be above the chain-work, and below the 
place where the branch-work was. The chapiters upon the top of 
the pillars were of lily-work, representing the lotus leaf and flower ; 
beautiful ornaments representing the stalks, leaves, and blossoms of 
lilies, of large dimensions, suited to the height of their position. 
They were the characteristic ornaments of Egyptian architecture, 
and probably borrowed thence by Solomon." — Jamieson. 

Yer. 17. He reared up the pillars before the temple. — These pillars 
were for ornament, rather than to give support, and formed a most 
appropriate and beautiful entrance to the splendid interior of the 
temple. 

Jaehin and Boaz. — The one on the right was called Jachin, which 
signifies "He shall establish." The one on the left was called Boaz, 
which signifies, "In it is strength." These names were symbolical, 
not so much of the strength and stability of the material temple, for this 
with the pillars were destroyed ( Jer. Hi. 17), but of the spiritual king- 
dom of God that was represented in the temple. Some find in Jachin 
a type of Christ, who came to establish a heavenly kingdom on earth ; 
and, in Boaz, a type of the Church, which is founded to endure forever. 
The spiritual significance of these pillars and all their parts and orna- 
ments has been brought out by one who seems to have been divinely 
aided in interpreting them. 

The temple was surrouuded by three stories of chambers each five 
cubits high (1 Kings vi. 10), and joined to the wall of the temple 
without. Above these there was ample room for windows to give 
ventilation and light to the temple (1 Kings vi. 4). 

Two main courts surrounded the temple, the inner court that of 
the priests (1 Kings vi. 36; 2 Chron. iv. 9), and the outer court that of 
Israel. These were separated by a "middle wall of partition," with 
lodges for priests and Levites, for wood, oil, &c. (1 Chron. xxviii. 12, 
13). 

No sound of axe or hammer was "heard in the house while it was 
building (1 Kings vi. 7). A subterranean quarry has recently been 
discovered near Jerusalem, which affords the clearest evidence that 
the stones of the temple were dressed there, and moved on rollers to 
the site of the temple. 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS, 1876. 



107 



LESSON IV.— July 23. 



The Temple Dedicated. — 1 Kings viii. 5-21. 



5. And King Solomon, and all the con- 
gregation of Israel, that were assembled 
unto him, were with him before the ark, 
sacrificing sheep and oxen, that could 
not be told or numbered for multi- 
tude. 

G. And the priests brought in the ark 
of the covenant of the Lord unto his 
place, into the oracle of the house, to 
the most holy place, even under the 
wings of the cherubim. 

7. For the cherubim spread forth their 
two wings over the place of the ark, and 
the cherubim covered the ark and the 
staves thereof above. 

8. And they drew out the staves, that 
the ends of the staves were seen out in 
the holy place before the oracle, and 
they were not seen without : and there 
they are unto this day. 

9. There icas nothing in the ark save 
the two tables of stone, which Moses put 
there at Horeb, when the Lord made a 
covenant with the children of Israel, 
when they came out of the land of 
Egypt. 

10. And it came to pass, when the 
priests were come out of the holy place, 
that the cloud filled the house of the 
Lord, 

11. So that the priests could not stand 
to minister because of the cloud : for the 
glory of the Lord had filled the house of 
the Lord. 

12. IT Then spake Solomon, The Lord 
said that he would dwell in the thick 
darkness. 

13. I have surely built thee a house to 



dwell in, a settled place for thee to abide 
in forever. 

14. And the king turned his face 
about, and blessed all the congregation 
of Israel: and all the congregation of> 
Israel stood : 

15. And he said, Blessed be the Lord 
God of Israel, which snake with his 
mouth unto David my father, and hath 
with his hand fulfilled* it, saying. 

16. Since the day that I brought forth 
my people Israel out of Egypt. I chose 
no city out of all the tribes of Israel to 
buila a house, that my name might be 
therein; but I chose David to be over 
my people Israel. 

17. And it was in the heart of David 
my father to build a house for the name 
of the Lord God of Israel. 

18. And the Lord said unto David my 
father, Whereas it was in thine heart to 
build a house unto my name, thou didst 
well that it was in thine heart. 

19. Nevertheless thou shalt not build 
the house ; but thy son that shall come 
forth out of thy loins, he shall build the 
house unto my name. 

20. And the Lord hath performed his 
word that he spake, and I am risen up 
in the room of David my father, aud sit 
on the throne of Israel, as the Lord 
promised, and have built a house for the 
name of the Lord God of Israel. 

21. And I have set there a place for 
the ark, wherein is the covenant of the 
Lord, which he made with our fathers, 
when he brought them out of the land 
of Egypt. 



Solomon laid the foundations of the temple, or the house of sanc- 
tuary, or the chosen house as it was sometimes called, in the year 
1011 B.C., and about four hundred and eighty years after the building 
of the tabernacle by Moses. It was completed in the year 1004 B.C., 
having occupied seven years and six months in the building. 

Solomon made the sacred utensils and furniture of the temple, 
a molten sea (1 Kings vii. 2:}), an immense semicircular vase seventeen 
feet and a half in diameter; fen bases of brass (ver. 27), i.e., four- 
wheeled carriages for the conveyance of the la vers; the altar of gold, 
and the table and candlesticks of gold (vers. 48, 49), and all the vessels 
that pertained to the house of the Lord. He also put among the 
treasures of the house the silver and gold and vessels that David his 
father had consecrated to the Lord (1 Kings vii. 51). 

At the feast in the month Ethamin (October), the elders and chief 
men of Israel assembled in Jerusalem to attend the services of the 



108 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 

dedication of the temple to the Lord (1 Kings viii. 2). This was 
eleven months after the completion of the edifice ; the delay heing 
occasioned by Solomon's desire to choose the most fitting opportunity, 
when the greatest number of the people would be in Jerusalem. 
This was a jubilee year; and the king very appropriately commenced 
the solemn ceremonial a few days before the feast of tabernacles, 
which was instituted in commemoration of the Israelites dwelling in 
booths in the wilderness, as well as of the tabernacle which was then 
erected for the worship of God. 

As the temple was to take the place of the tabernacle, it was most 
fitting that at this feast prayer should be offered that the privileges 
promised in connection with the services of the tabernacle might be 
continued to the nation in connection with those of the temple, and 
that the divine glory that sanctified the former might be manifested in 
the latter. 

Yer. 5. And King Solomon and all the congregation of Israel . . . 
were before the ark. — The vast procession was made up of all the 
chief men of Israel, the heads of tribes and paternal chiefs, and mul- 
titudes of people from every part of the land. It was led by the king, 
doubtless, preceded by his body-guard, and the elders of the people. 
Priests were stationed along the route to offer an immense number of 
sacrifices. Josephus says that " the ground was moist with drink- 
offerings and sacrifices." 

Yer. 6. And the priests brought in the ark. — They followed, bearing 
the ark from its temporary resting-place on Mount Zion up to the 
temple, a distance of about three-quarters of a mile. Another pro- 
cession brought the old Mosaic tabernacle from Gibeon, followed by 
the Levites, who bore the sacred vessels and ornaments of the 
tabernacle to the new house of the Lord. The ark was deposited in 
the oracle of the house, or the holy of holies, and placed under the 
wings of the cherubim made by Solomon (Ps. xviii. 10, lxxx. 1, 
Isa. vi. 1-3). Into this holy place no one was permitted to enter, 
except the high priest, and he only once in a year, on the great day of 
atonement. 

Yer. 8. Tliey drew out the staves. — These staves were made of 
shittim-wood overlaid with gold. They passed through golden rings, 
and were used to carry the ark (Exod. xxv. 13-15). They were 
originally not to be drawn out ; but, now that the ark was stationary, 
they were drawn out a little way, and left to project, that they might 
serve as a guide to the high priest when he went to officiate before 
the ark. For there was no light in the holy oracle except that shed 
by the glowing embers in the censer, and the mysterious rays that 
emanated from the mercy-seat. 

Yer. 9. There was nothing in the ark save the two tables of stone. — 
Nothing else was ever put into the ark but these tables of stone. 
Aaron's rod (Num. xvii. 10), the golden censer, and the manna 
(Exod. xvi. 33), which some suppose were placed in the ark, were laid 
before it in the most holy place. 

Yer. 10. The cloud filled the house of the Lord. — As the cloud, the 
symbol of the divine presence, rested upon the tabernacle in the time 
of Moses, and filled it with the divine glory so that Moses could not 
enter (Exod. xl. 34, 35), thus the cloud and the divine glory filled the 
temple so that the priests could not proceed with the services. This 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS, 1876. 109 

gracious manifestation of the divine presence was the testimony 
of God's acceptance of the temple, as ho had previously accepted the 
tabernacle. Precisely in what this glory consisted, we cannot deter- 
mine. It may have been a dazzling brightness that filled the minds 
of the priests with astonishment or alarm, so that they could not 
remain. It convinced all that the God of Israel had here established 
his royal residence. 

Vers. 12, 13. Then spake Solomon. — Standing upon a brazen plat- 
form that had been erected in front of the altar, Solomon first, in an 
apostrophe to God, whose presence had been so wonderfully mani- 
fested, expresses his devout thankfulness that he has been permitted 
to build a house for the Lord to dwell in and abide forever. The 
thick darkness refers to the holy of holies, that, having no windows, 
was dark, except when illumined by God's presence. 

Ver. 14. The king turned his face about. — After watching the 
mystic cloud that may yet have hovered about the temple, he turned 
to the people, who were standing up, and blessed all the congregation 
of Israel. As Moses, when the people had completed the tabernacle 
as the Lord had commanded them, pronounced upon them a blessing 
(Exod. xxxix. 43), and as David his father when the ark had been 
brought into the city, and the offerings were completed, blessed the 
people in the name of the Lord (2 Sam. vi. 18), so Solomon, on this 
solemn and memorable occasion, blesses the whole congregation. 

Vers. 15-21. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel. — In most fitting 
words, Solomon expresses his fervent gratitude to God for the fulfil- 
ment of his promises. The Lord hath performed the work, and to 
him he ascribes all the glory. 



110 



EXPLANATORY NOTES. 



LESSON V.— July 30. 



Solomon's Prayer. — 1 Kings viii. 22-30. 



22. IF And Solomon stood before the 
altar of the Lord in the presence of all 
the congregation of Israel, and spread 
forth Ins hands toward heaven : 

23. And he said. Lord God of Israel, 
there is no God like thee, in heaven 
above, or on earth beneath, who keepest 
covenant and mercy with thy servants 
that walk before thee with all their 
heart : 

24. Who hast kept with thy servant 
David my father that thou promisedst 
him : thou spakest also with thy mouth, 
and hast fulfilled it with thine hand, as it 
is this day. 

25. Therefore now, Lord God of Israel, 
keep with thy servant David my father 
that thou promisedst him, saying. There 
shall not fail thee a man in my sight to 
sit on the throne of Israel ; so that thy 
children take heed to their way, that 
they walk before me as thou hast walked 
before me. 

26. And now, O God of Israel, let thy 
word, I pray thee, be verified, which 



thou spakest unto thy sen-ant David my 
father. 

27. But will God indeed dwell on the 
earth? behold, the heaven, and heaven 
of heavens, cannot contain thee; how 
much less this house thai 1 havebmlded? 

28. Yet have thou respect unto the 
prayer of thy servant, and to his suppli- 
cation, U Lord my God, to hen ken unto 
the cry and to the prayer which thy ser- 
vant prayeth before thee to-day : 

29. That thine eyes may be* open to- 
ward this house night and day, even 
toward the place of which thou hast 
said. My name shall be there: that thou 
mayest hearken unto the prayer which 
thy servant shall make toward this 
place. 

30. And hearken thou to the supplica- 
tion of thy servant, and of thy people 
Israel, when they shall pray toward this 
place: and hear thou in* heaven thy 
dwelling-place : and when thou hearest, 
forgive. 



Yer. 22. Solomon stood before the altar. — He did not occupy the 
canopied throne near a pillar at the entrance of the inner court (2 
Kings xi. 14), hut took his position in the outer court, east of the 
altar, on a brazen platform three cubits high, erected for the occa- 
sion (2 Chron. vi. 13). Here, kneeling (see ver. 54, and 2 Chron. vi. 
13) as a humble suppliant, he spread forth his hands towards 
heaven. It is a fact worthy of notice, that the solemn act of conse- 
crating the temple to God was not performed by the high priest, nor 
by any member of the Aaronic family, but by the king in person. 

Ver. 23. And he said, Lord God of Israel. — Into this sublime 
prayer, the suppliant breathes the strongest faith and the loftiest 
aspirations, blended with the deepest humility. He addresses the 
Sovereign of the universe as the God of Israel, because of the special 
and numerous divine blessings he had bestowed upon the nation. It 
was indeed a sublime spectacle, thus to see the king of Israel before 
the splendid temple that he had completed, and, in the presence of a 
vast and reverential throng, praying with uplifted hands to the ever- 
lasting King. We may look upon him as a type of Christ, who is our 
King and Intercessor. 

There is no God like thee. — The faith of the suppliant is based 
upon the cardinal doctrine of the unity and supremacy of the Deity. 
Other nations had their idols and fancied deities, whom they wor- 
shipped and confided in ; but the king of Israel trusted in the only liv- 
ing and true God. 

Who keepest covenant with thy servants, — that is, with those " that 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS, 1876. Ill 

walk before thee with all their heart." — There is here a clear 
acknowledgment of the necessity of obedience on the part of the sub- 
ject, as well as the faithfulness of God, to secure the fulfilment of a 

covenant. 

Vkk. 26. -4nd now . . . let thy word be verified, which thou spak- 
est mifo . . . David my father. — " The reference is to the great prom- 
ise in 2 Sam vii. 11-1-i. It was made to David hefore Solomon was 
born. It began to be verified at bis birth, ami still more on his com- 
pletion of tin* temple, when the glory of the Lord was visible in it; 
but it pointed to a far greater, nobler, and more extensive kingdom 
than was embraced by the dominion of that magnificent monarch, 
happy and extensive; as bis dominion was (chap. iv. 20, 21). He had 
probably been taught by his pious father, who had made him well 
acquainted with that promise, to extend his views of it into the dis- 
tant future. And, indeed, he appears, from the language used here, 
" will (rod indeed dwell on the earth? " to have been conscious that 
his own achievements were unable to exhaust the fulness of its mean- 
ing. For, from the announcement of that promise, the Messiah was 
expected as the king, the king of Israel, exalted on the throne of 
David, and in virtue of his close communion with the Lord Jehovah, 
an object of universal reverence, exercising justice and dispensing 
mercy to the various families of man." — Jamieson's Commentary. 

Vkk. 20. That thine eyes may be open towards this house night and 
day. — God had made this promise to Moses : " In all places where I 
record my name, I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee " (Exod. 
xx. 24). By the special manifestation of his presence and glory in 
the temple, God had virtually recorded his name there. There he 
would be present, and receive the worship of his people, " night and 
day." and dispense blessings to them. 

Ver. 30. Hearken to thy people . . . when they shall pray towards 
this place. — When the Israelites were far distant from Jerusalem, 
they were accustomed, in their religious devotions, to turn their faces 
towards the temple ; that they might participate in its services, and 
that their prayers might partake of the divine promises that envel- 
oped, as a spiritual atmosphere, the house of the Lord. 

Hear thou in heaven thy dwelling-place. — " That house of prayer, that 
Solomon was then dedicating, was a type of the spiritual temple after- 
wards to be built of living stones. And the purport of the king's 
petition, which was afterwards answered by a covenant, or solemn 
agreement, was, that whatever was spoken in the earthly temple 
should be heard and ratified in the heavenly temple." — Jamieson. 

Following this portion of the prayer, Solomon specifies seven cases, 
in which he pleads for the merciful interpo^tion of God, on condition 
that the people pray toward that holy place. The prayer concluded, 
again lie pronounces a blessing " upon all the congregation of Israel " 
(1 Kings viii. 55). An immense number of sacrifices were then 
offered to the Lord (1 Kings viii. 62-04); and the people returned to 
their homes rejoicing in the goodness of the God of Israel (1 Kings 
viii. 00). 

Solomon received the assurance that his prayer was heard (1 Kings 
ix. 3). God renews his covenant with him, and clearly lays down the 
principles upon which alone the king and people can secure happi- 
ness and prosperity. 



112 



EXPLANATORY NOTES. 



LESSON VI.— August 6. 



Solomon's Prosperity. — 1 Kings x. 1-10. 



1. And when the queen of Bheba 
heard of the fame of Solomon, con- 
cerning the name of the Lord, >h.' came 
to prove him with hard questions. 

2. And sb ■ came to Jerusalem with 
a very great train, with camels that bare 
spices, and very much gold, and precious 
stones : and when she was come to Solo- 
mon, she communed with him of all 
that was in in her heart. 

3. And Solomon told her all her ques- 
tions: there was nui any thing hid from 
tlio king, which he told her not. 

4. And wh n the queen of Sheba had 
seen all Solomon's wisdom, and the 
bouse that he had built. 

5. And the meat of his table, and the' 
sitting of his servants, and the attend- 
ance of bis ministers, and their apparel, 
and liis cup-bearers, and bis ascent by 
which he went up unto the house of the 
Lord : there was no more spirit in her. 

6. And she said to the king, It was a 



true report that I beard in mine own 
land, oi thy acta and of thy wisdom. 

7. Bowb I he words, 
until l came, and mine eyes had 

it: and, behold, ih ■ hall 
me : thy wi »dom and pro 
eth the' fame which 1 h sard. 

8. Happy are thy men, happy me 
these thy servants, which stand contin- 
ually before thee, "nil that hear thy wis- 
dom. 

9. Blessed be the Lord thy Cod, which 
delighted in thee, to b rt thee on the 
throne of Israel: because the Lord 
loved Israel forever, therefore made ho 
thee king, to do judgment and justice. 

10. And she gave the king a hundred 
and twenty talents of gold, and of B 
very great store, and precio 1 1 

there came no more such abundance of 
spices as these which the queen of 
Sheba gave to King Solomon. 



Solomon, having accomplished the great religious work imposed 
upon him by his father, felt at liberty to build sumptuous structures, 
enlarge and fortify cities, and undertake various enterprises that 
would reflect honor upon the crown, and contribute to the dignity and 
power of his great kingdom. He spent twelve and a half or thirteen 
years in building his palace (1 Kings vii. 1), nearly double the time 
occupied in the erection of the temple, because he had not at hand 
the previous preparations for it, nor was there the same urgency that 
prompted him in providing a national place for religious worship. 
The Jews who returned from captivity were censured for dwelling in 
their own ceiled houses, while the house of God was lying waste 
(Hag. i. 4); but Solomon acted according to the spirit of Christ's 
direction, when he said, " Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his 
righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you" (Matt. 
vi. 33). 

Solomon also built the "House of the Forest of Lebanon," and a 
palace for "Pharaoh's daughter, whom he had taken to wife" (1 
Kings vii. 2, 8). It is difficult to determine whether these were 
separate buildings, or parts of one grand palace. From the form and 
proportions of the House of the Forest of Lebanon, it may have been 
a vast hall attached to the palace, similar to the large central halls in 
the Assyrian palaces. Its name may have been derived from the pro- 
fusion of cedar timbers used in its construction. 

To carry on his gigantic works, Solomon made a levy of men and 
money (1 Kings ix. 15). "With these he not only built the house of 
the Lord, and his own magnificent palace, but he expended large 
sums upon Millo, a part of the fort of Jerusalem on Mount Zion ; in 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS, 1876. 113 

repairing the Avail of Jerusalem; in fortifying Easor, an important 
town on the northern boundary of the country; and also Megiddo, 
which had been a royal city of the Canaanites, Lying on the great 
caravan road between Egypt and Damascus, important as a key to 
the north of Palestine, by the western lowlands. Robinson identifies 
Megiddo with a village now called Leijun, the Legio of the Romans. 
Solomon also fortified Gezer, or Gazer, on the northern border of 
Benjamin, which, though assigned as a Levitical city, continued 
to be occupied by the Canaanites. Here many battles had been 
fought between the Hebrews and the Philistines. At last it was con- 
quered by the king of Egypt, and given as a dowry to his daughter, 
the wire of Solomon. Beth-horon the nether, Baaloth, and Tadmor 
were fortified or rebuilt (1 Kings ix. 15-18). Tadmor, a city of palms, 
called by the Greeks Palmyra, was anciently a superb city, ten miles 
in circumference. It was situated between Damascus and the 
Euphrates, in a dreary desert, and became the capital of a great 
kingdom, and the centre of an extensive commerce. It was rebuilt 
and fortified by Solomon, as a security against invasion from North- 
ern Asia. It is now a magnificent ruin, having been destroyed by 
Nebuchadnezzar, on his march to the siege of Jerusalem. 

The prosperity of Solomon is vividly set forth in his own words, in 
Eccl. ii. 4-9: ,( I made me great works; I budded me houses; 
I planted me vineyards; I made me gardens and orchards, and I 
planted trees in them of all kinds of fruit; I made me pools of water, 
to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees. I got me ser- 
vants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had 
great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in 
Jerusalem before me; I gathered me also silver and gold, and the 
peculiar treasures of kings and of provinces ; I got me men-singers 
and women-singers, and the delights of the sons of men as musical in- 
struments, and that of all sorts. So I was great, and increased more 
than all that were before me in Jerusalem." 

Yer. 1. The Queen of Sheba. — It is difficult to determine where 
Sheba was situated. Many think it was the Sabean kingdom of 
Teman, of which Saba was the capital, near the southern part of 
Arabia. This region was probably settled by Sheba, the son of Joktan, 
of the race of Shem (Gen. x. 28; 1 Chron. i. 22). Yeman means 
south; and our Lord speaks of "the queen of the south" (Matt. 
xii. 42). The presents that she brought to Solomon were products 
of that country, according to Strabo, Pliny, and others; and tradition 
points in this direction. 

The fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord. — This may 
refer to his superior knowledge of God, prompting him to erect a 
magnificent temple, and institute imposing services for his worship, 
or to the wonderful things that the Lord had done for him, or to both. 

Hard questions. — Enigmas and riddles, such as the Orientals de- 
lighted to propose and solve, as tests of intellectual power; and also 
important and difficult questions. 

Yer. 2. A very great train, with camels that bare spices. — She 
came with a retinue suited to her dignity and rank, and with 
costly presents for the king. Arabia produced the richest spices to 
be found in the world. Among these would be myrrh, " the resinous 
gum of an odoriferous shrub, valued as a favorite perfume, and fre- 



114 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 

quently given In ancient times as a present on account of it< rarity 
and usefulness; spikenard, an unguent extracted from a species 01 
valerian, which grows on the higfi and arid pastures of India: the 
sweet cane, the aromatic calamus of India: cinnamon procured 
from Ceylon; and cassia, another species of cinnamon, from the 
Malabar coast. All these highly-prized Bpices, which were either ih<- 
native produce of Arabia, or, being brought to the parts of that 
country by the Ophir merchantmen, were carried into every part of 
the land by the trading caravans, were brought to .Solomon by the 
Queen of Sheba, as presents which she knew would be acceptable to 
that prince." 

Ver. 3. Solomon told her all her questions. — We are not informed 
what questions or subjects she brought before him. Some, influenced 
by the testimony of Josephus (Antiquities, bookviii., chap, v., see. :}), 
think that she did not propose to Solomon questions pertaining to 
philosophical principles, or moral and religious subjects, but only bui h 
as would display his skill and wit. It seems to us that the whole 
narrative is against this view. The queen takes a long journey, with 
many attendants and rich presents, attracted by " the fame of Solo- 
mon concerning the name of the Lord;" and it is hardly to be sup- 
Eosed that her "hard questions" were designed for the display of 
is wit. Our Lord says, "She came from the uttermost part of the 
earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon." 'This wisdom was displayed 
in answering all her inquiries. And he, doubtless, unfolded to her 
that wisdom that he himself describes : " The merchandise of it is 
better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine 
gold. She is more precious than rubies ; and all the things thou canst 
desire are not to be compared unto her" (Prov. iii. 14, 15). 

Ver. 4. When the queen had seen all Solomon'' s wisdom. — Under 
the phrase, "the wisdom of Solomon," "the Hebrews comprehended 
a veiy large circle of mental endowments and useful qualities, not 
only speculative and practical knowledge. And therefore the Queen 
of Sheba's admiration must be considered as directed to the whole 
economy of his government; the comprehensive plans he formed for 
engaging the industry of his subjects at home, and for introducing 
rivers of wealth into his kingdom through the channels of foreign 
commerce ; the order that reigned in the vast establishments of the 
palace and the temple; his exquisite skill in the fine arts; the literary 
works he composed, displaying a perfect familiarity with the entire 
range of the natural science of his age; and the penetrating insight 
he possessed into the principles of human nature. All these the 
Arabian princess had opportunities of witnessing during her sojourn 
at the court of Jerusalem." — Jamieson. 

And the house that he had built. — This evidently refers to the 
palace, as appears from the words that follow concerning the court 
appointments. 

Ver. 5. The meat of his table. — This includes the immense 
amount, variety, and luxuriousness of his daily provisions (iv. 
22, 23), as well as the superb equipage of the royal table. 

The setting of his servants. — The various ranks of his servants, 
with the places assigned to them, and the orderly arrangements in 
the servants' hall, and at the various tables in the court. An Ori- 
ental sovereign was accustomed to be attended by a large number 



INTERNATIONAL S. 8. LESSONS, 1876. 115 

of servants; and when we consider Hie numerous apartments of the 
palace) and the various establishments connected with it, Solomon 

must have had a vast multitude of domestics, native and foreign. 

And the attendance of his ministers, — i.e., the Btanding, the station, 
of his ministers occupied at his public levees, and the court officers, 
who aided him in administering the government. 

And their apparel. — While Solomon appeared in gorgeous robes, 
the dress of his attendants was very elaborate and splendid. When 
he rode to hi> pleasure-grounds, or elsewhere, he was attended by a 
DUmerous retinue of riders, tall and elegant young men, with armor, 
and attired in costly garments of Tyrian purple. 

( htp-bearers. — Those who had the care of the drinking vessels, and 
providing the wines; an office of great importance in the palaces of 
ancient Oriental sovereigns. 

And his ascent by which he icent up into the house of the Lord. — 
Various renderings are given to this passage. According to the 
Septuagint: "And the holocaust (burnt offering) which he offered 
in the house of the Lord." Modern scholars say that the reference 
is to the famous viaduct which Solomon made from his palace to the 
temple. It was at least a peculiar entrance that was deemed worthy 
of special notice. 

There was no more spirit in her. — Her astonishment was so great 
that it took away her breath (see Dan. x. 17). 

Vers. (>, 7. it wets a true report that I heard. . . . And, behold, the 
half teas not told me. — She comes to listen to the wisdom of Solomon; 
and she finds more than she expected, both of wisdom and prosperity. 
In the reception of the queen by Solomon, we have a type of Christ. 

(1) He did not reject her, but cordially received her (John vi. 37). 

(2) lie answered all her questions, and showed her his glory (John 
i. 14, vi. 68). (3) He accepted her gifts, and gave her more in return 
(John x. 11, 28, xvi. 24). 

Ver. 9. Blessed be the Lord thy God. — It is possible, but not 
probable, as Jewish writers affirm, that the Queen of Sheba was, 
through the influence of Solomon, converted to the worship of tbe 
true God. Hiram utters a similar expression to that in this verse 
(1 Kings v. 7). They are filled with reverence for a God who has 
dealt so bountifully with King Solomon. 

Ver. 10. And she gave the king a hundred and twenty talente of 
gold (£720,090), and spices, and precious stones. — The queen is not 
content with words of praise and thanks, but shows ber gratitude by 
munificent and royal gifts. In return, she receives "all her desire," 
with valuable gifts, and departs in peace. It is said of the peaceful 
kingdom of the Messiah, "the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer 
gifts; yea, all kings shall fall down before him, all nations shall serve 
him (Ps. lxxii. 10, 11). All they from Sheba shall come; they shall 
bring gold and incense, and they shall show forth the praises of the 
Lord" (Isa. lx. 6). 



116 



EXPLASA TOR Y NOTES. 



LESSON VII. —August 13. 



Tin: Call of Wisdom. — Pboy. i. 20-33. 



20. ^T Wisdom orieth without; she ut- 

21. She crieth in the chief place of 
concourse, in the openings of the . 

in \hi city she uttereih her word-. 
i»fi. 

22. How loner, ye simple ones, will ye 
love simplicity? and the seorners delight 
in their scorning, and fools hate knowl- 

| 

Turn you at my reproof: behold. I 
will pour out my spirit unto you. I will 
make known my words unto you. 

24. IT Because I have called, and ye 
refused : I have stretched out my hand, 
and no man regarded : 

2o. But ye have set at nought all my 
counsel, and would none of my reproof : 

26. I also will laugh at your "calamity ; 
I will mock when your fear cometh ; 



27. Wh.-n your fear cometh as desola- 
tion, and vour destruction cometh 
whirlwind: wli ;n d 

cometh upon you. 

28. Then .-hall they call upon me 
will not ane 

but they shall not lind i 

•hat thev hated know; 
and did not choose the fear of the I 
dd none of my co- 
they d A my reproof. * 

3L Therefore shall they eat of the fruit 
of their own way. and be tilled with then- 
own devices. 

32. For the turnimr away of the simple 
shall slav them, and the prosperity of 
fools shall destroy them. 

33. But whoso hearkeneth unto me 
shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from 
fear of evil. 



We pass from tl^e prosperity of Solomon, to the inspired book of his 
•wisdom. He is said to have spoken three thousand proverbs (1 Kings 
iv. 32): from which, during his life, he probably selected the fir.>t 
twenty-four chapters of this book. Chaps, xxv.-xxix. were also pro- 
duced by him. and copied out by " his men'' in the days of Hezekiah. 
Some writers have advanced the idea, that Solomon was only a col- 
lector of proverbs: but there has been nothing advanced to sustain 
this opinion, while the opposite view has the sanction of the m 
reliable ancient authorities. Their originality and inspiration are b fth 
well established. " Solomon lived five hundred years before the ' seven 
wise men of Greece,' and seven hundred before the age of Socr 
Plato, and Aristotle. Thus it is very evident, whatever theory of his 
sources of knowledge be adopted, that he did not draw from any 
heathen repositories with which we are acquainted. It is far more 
probable, that by the various migrations, captivities, and disper-: 
of the Jews, heathen philosophers drew from this inspired fountain 
many of those streams -which continue to refresh mankind, amid the 
otherwise barren and parched deserts of profane literature." — Faus- 
set. 

A proverb is a brief and forcible expression of some practical truth, 
or result of experience or observation. The word is derived from the 
Latin, and literally means, for a word, speech, or discourse : i.e.. one 
expression for many. It is synonymous with "'maxim," "ada_ 
and •• aphorism." 

The Book of Proverbs is a collection of inspired maxims, rich in 
practical truths, and lessons for all clashes of mankind. 

Tee. 20. Wisdom crieth without. — In a beautiful personification, 
"Wisdom in this chapter is introduced as publicly inviting men. in a 
most solemn manner, to accept her instructions, and avoid the paths 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS, 1876. 117 

of folly and sin. she crieth not in secret, bnl on 1 1 1 « ■ Btreet, and In 
public places, where vlu* may be beard l>y all classes. She Is not 
ashamed < t her teachings; for she bears in her hand the treasures of 
wisdom, seeking the welfare of the young, the simple, and the ungodly. 
Compare ( brist's instructions to his disciple-, Matt. x. 27; Luke 
xiv. 21. 

Yi:k. 21. 8hi crieth in the chief place of concourse. — Literally, in 
tin 1 places of greatest tumult she calleth. In the most crowded ami 
tumultuous thoroughfares her voice is heard, sending forth its calls 
of goodness and mercy, as well as warning. At the gates where men 
are constantly passing to and fro, in every part of the city, she utter- 
eth her word-. 

Vkb. 22. How long, ye simple ones, &c. — How long, ye ignorant 
and deceived ones, will ye love simplicity, and disregard the directions 
and teachings of Wisdom? In this verse, three classes are addressed. 
1. The simple, or foolish. 2. Scorners, or mockers, who regard 
knowledge and truth with contempt. 3. Those who hate knowledge, 
and thus place a barrier between themselves and that which would 
make them \\ 

Vkb. 23. Turn you at my reproof. — Be convinced by the argu- 
ments I present, and turn from your evil and perverse way. If you 
will but do this. I will pour out my Spirit unto you in copious meas- 
ure. Wisdom will be in you, as a never-failing spring. 

VKB8. 24, 25. Because I have called, and ye refused. — The earnest- 
ness, the beseeching character of the call, is indicated by the stretching 
forth of the hand. Every thing is done by Wisdom to induce the 
simple-hearted and perverse to turn from their evil ways, and live. 
But if they refuse the call, and disregard the outstretched hand, 
they must take the consequences of their folly. If they set at nought 
the counsel, that is, reject it as of no value, and disregard every form 
of reproof, they must look for the terrific storm of divine indignation 
that will surely burst upon them. 

Vkb. 26. I will laugh at your calamity. — The sense here is the 
same as in Ps. ii. 4: " He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the 
Lord shall have them in derision." Instead of being moved by their 
fear, he is represented as mocking at it. As the fools have treated 
wisdom and knowledge and righteousness, so they are now, in turn, 
treated. 

Vkbs. 27. 28. Wlicn your fear cometh as desolation, &e. — We have 
here a terrible and cumulative description of the calamities that 
will befall the wicked. When your fear cometh as desolation, liter- 
ally a tumultuous noise denoting their utter confusion: and your 
destruction cometh as a whirlwind, that is, with the rapidity and the 
all-prostrating blast of a whirlwind: when distress and anguish 
cometh upon you. a state of the deepest despair, — tlien shall they call 
. but J will not answer. Their cries, the most diligent seeking, 
will now avail them nothing. 

Vebs. 29, 30. For that they hated knowledge, &c. — We have here 
the reasons for the fearful calamities that sweep over them. Their 
hatred of knowledge indicates the deepest depravity: not choosing 
the fear of the Lord, they reject the very beginning of wisdom. 

Vkb. 31. Therefore they shall eat of the fruit of their own way. — 
These terrible harvests are the fruit of their own sowing. They have 



118 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 

sown to tlic wind, and reaped the whirlwind The Apostle Paul says 
((Jul. vi. 7), ' ; Be not deceived: God is not mocked; for, whatsoever* 
man Boweth, that shall he also reap." 

Veb, 32. For the turning away of the simple, Ac — Those who 
turn away from wisdom, and its salutary discipline, rush on to 
destruction: and prosperity is ever dangerous to virtue. "For 
every foolish or vicious person is either ignorant or regardless of the 
proper ends or rules for which God designs the prosperity of those to 
whom he sends it. Prosperity, also, as the nature of man now stands, 
has a peculiar force and fitness to ahate men's virtues, and heighten 
their corruptions." 

Veil 38. But whoso hearkeneth unto me, &c. — The man who listens 
to the call of Wisdom, rather than to the enticements of sin, shall 
dwell in perfect safety. The promise of God to his people was (Deut. 
xii. 10, 12), " But when ye go over Jordan, and dwell in the land 
which the Lord your God giveth you to inherit, and when he giveth 
you rest from all your enemies, so that ye dwell in safety ... ye 
shall rejoice in the Lord your God." What a contrast we have here 
with the condition of those who reject the teachings of Wisdom, and 
Bet at nought the counsels of the Almighty ! 



INTERNATIONAL 8. S. LKSSONS, 187G. 



119 



LESSON VIII. — August 20. 



The Value of Wisdom. — Pnov. iii. 1-19. 



I. My son, forget not my law; but let 
thine heart keep ray commandments. 

j. I'm- length of days, and Long life, 
and peace, snail they add to thee. 

::. Lei n<>' mercy and truth forsake 
thee: bind them about thy neck; write 
them upon the table of thine heart: 

4. Soshalt thou find favor and good 
understanding in the sight of God and 
man. 

.">. IT Trust in the Lord with all thine 
heart ; and lean not unto thine own 
understanding. 

i'.. in all thv ways acknowledge him, 
and he shall direct thy paths. 

7. V Be not wise in thine own eyes: 
fear the Lord, and depart from evil.' 

8. It shall be health to thy navel, and 
marrow to thy bones. 

i). Honor the Lord with thy substance, 
and with the lirst fruits of all thine 
increase : 

10. So shall thy barns be filled with 
plenty, ami thy presses shall burst out 
with new wine. 

II. IT My son, despise not the chasten- 



big of the Lord; neither be weary of his 
ion: 

12. For whom the Lord loveth he cor- 
recteth; even as a father the son hi 
whom he delighteth. 

13. IT Happy is the man that flndeth 
wisdom, and the man that getteth 
understanding. 

14. For the merchandise of it is better 
than the merchandise of silver, and the 
gain thereof than line gold. 

1"). Shew more precious than rubies: 
and all the things thou canst desire are 
not to be compared unto her. 

It). Length of days is in her right 
hand; and in her left hand riches and 
honor. 

IT. Her ways are ways of pleasant- 
ness, and all her paths are peace. 

18. She is a tree of life to them that 
lay hold upon her : and happy is every 
one that retaineth her. 

19. The Lord by wisdom hath founded 
the earth; by understanding hath he 
established the heavens. 



Ver. 1. My son, — This form of address occurs three times in this 
chapter. It indicates the tender interest of the teacher in his pupil. 
It expresses the affection of a father, and his longing that the person 
addressed may receive the treasure that is above all price. My son, 
forget not my law, or my teaching; and let obedience to my com- 
mandments proceed from the heart. 

Ver. 2. For length of days, &c. — As in Ps. xxi. 4, "He asked 
life of thee, and thou gavest it him, even length of days for ever and 
ever." It includes the idea of earthly prosperity, as promised to 
wisdom as a reward. Peace also is the result of keeping GocFs com- 
mandments: " Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is 
stayed on thee, because he trusteth in thee" (Isa. xxvi. 3). "The 
peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your 
hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" (Phil. ivT 7). 

Ver. 3. Let not mercy and truth forsake thee. — Mercy, or love, and 
truth are often associated in the Book of Proverbs (see chaps, xiv. 
22, wi. C). xx. 28). They are essential to a pure and spiritual life, 
and to the highest usefulness among men. The earnest exhortation 
i-. Let not these blessed principles forsake thee. Keep them, cling to 
them. Bind them about thy neck, that they may be kept constantly 
in view. Write them upon the table of thy heart, that thou mayest 
constantly feel their influence. 

Ver. 4. 8o fthaM t /ton find favor, and good reputation, before God 
and man. Governed by the pure and heavenly principles of love and 
truth, one will secure the favor and approbation of God, and the good 



120 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 

opinion of mankind. We thus become God's children, and partici- 
pate in all the advantages and blessings of his kingdom. We enjoy 

fellowship with the best and holiest of men. 

VEB8. 5, <i. Trust, in the Lord with all thine heart — " The funda- 
mental principle of all religion consists in an entire self-commitment 
to the grace and truth of God, with the abandonment of every attempt 
to attain blessedness by one's own strength or wisdom" (see Pfl. 
xxxvii. 3, cxviii. 8, 9). In all thy ways acknowledge him, Btrictly 
take notice of him, as ever present with you, as your support and 
guide; and he will direct you. How full of comfort is this promise! 
To be led by our heavenly Father, every day, and in all the paths in 
which we walk, to feel his hand holding ours, and leading us in the 
paths of heavenly wisdom, is an inexpressible joy. Happy, most 
happy, is the youth who will start in life obeying the commands pre- 
sented in these two short verses. From how many mistakes and 
sorrows will he be saved ! 

Yer. 7. Fear the Lord. — " The fear of the Lord is the beginning 
of knowledge " (Prov. i. 7). It is a fountain of life (xiv. 27). It is 
the beginning of wisdom (ix. 10). That is, the filial fear of the Lord, 
that draws the affections of the heart towards him, and inclines one 
to hate, evil, and cheerfully obey God's commands. 

Yer. 8. It shall be health to thy navel. — From the moral course of 
conduct laid down, there shall go forth a healing powder to the body, 
and a refreshing and invigorating influence to the bones. The latter 
is in contrast with " the languishing of the bones," or their drying 
up, under a fever heat, or the pangs of conscience (see Ps. xxxii. 3, 4). 
True piety promotes the health of the body. 

Yers. 9, 10. Honor the Lord with thy substance. — Liberality in 
giving is one of the fundamental laws of the Jewish, as well as the 
Christian faith (see Exod. xxiii. 19; Deut. xviii. 4). "That the offer- 
ing in sacrifice of the first fruits of the field, and of the other 
revenues of one's possessions or labors, was not only enjoined by 
their law upon the people of God, under the Old Testament, but that 
it was also practised by other ancient nations, as a usage connected 
with religious worship, appears from passages in classical authors." — 
Lange. By thus honoring God, we secure the greatest prosperity 
to ourselves. So shall thy barns be filled with plenty. — "There is 
that scattereth, and yet increaseth" (Prov. xi. 24). The blessings 
will follow that are promised in Deut. xxviii. 5-8. 

Yers. 11, 12. Despise not the chastening of the Lord. — The 
Hebrew word translated chastening " signifies correction, discipline, 
and instruction. Teaching is necessary to show a man the way in 
which he is to go ; discipline is necessary to render a teaching effec- 
tual ; and often correction is requisite, in order to bring the mind 
into submission, without which it cannot acquire knowledge." 
Therefore no one should despise the chastening of the Lord, for it is 
a proof of his love. He sends sickness, sorrow, or affliction for our 
best welfare. He treats us as a father treats a son in whom he 
delighteth; and many can say with David, "It is good for me that I 
have been afflicted, that I might learn thy statutes " (Ps. cxix. 71). 

Yer. 13. Happy is the man that findeth icisdom, — or, who hath 
found wisdom, who has this treasure as a permanent possession. By 
the term "wisdom," we understand here true piety, or the fear of 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS, 187(5. 121 

God, which is spiritual wisdom. Moses prays (Ps. xc. 12), "So teach 
us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom;" 
Oi so to improve our time as to devote it to the study and practice of 
true piety. Wisdom also means prudence and discretion in action, 
quickness of invention, and is taken for doctrine, learning (Acts vii. 
22), and knowledge; all of which may be connected with the posses- 
sion of the highest wisdom that men are here exhorted to seek. 

Vers. 14, 15. For the merchandise of it is better, &c. — The accu- 
mulation of wisdom is better than the accumulation of silver, and 
the gain thereof than the finest gold. She is more precious than 
rubies or pearls ; and the climax of her value is reached in the declara- 
tion "All the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto 
her." How true this is of Christ, who is the wisdom of God, who 
maketh us wise unto salvation, who is made unto us wisdom (1 Cor. 
i. :)•))! For another view of the great value of wisdom, see Job xxviii. 
16-19. 

Ver. 16. Length of days. — In her right hand she presents long 
life, as her first gift; and, in the left hand, riches and honor, to be 
enjoyed during this long life. " Seek ye first the kingdom of God 
and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you" 
(Matt. vi. 33). Try the experiment, and thus test the truth of this 
divine promise. 

Ver. 17. Her ways are ivays of pleasantness. — Such ways as she 
directs us to take, are all pleasant to walk in. God's countenance 
shines upon them; and his love lines them with beautiful decorations, 
and, as we advance, new sources of joy are found. They are peaceful, 
with nothing to alarm or disturb the mind. 

Ver. 18. She is a tree of life. — Allusion is doubtless here made 
to the tree of life, mentioned by Moses in Gen. ii. 9, iii. 22. Its fruit 
preserves life, and gives all that makes living a blessing. This it 
does to every one that retahieth her. The riches, honors, pleasures, 
long life, and prosperity that flow from wisdom, are within the reach, 
of all. " Divine wisdom teaches the true communism, — makes all 
things common." 

Ver. 19. The Lord by wisdom. — Here wisdom is taken for that 
creative divine power indwelling in God from eternity, that produced 
the substance of the earth, and the structure and economy of the 
heavens. It is presented in a personal, independent form, as in the 
words, " I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning. . . . 
When He prepared the heavens, I was there " (viii. 23, 27, &c). Let 
us pray for the wisdom asked for in Col. i. 9-13. 



122 



EXPLANATORY NOTES. 



LESSON IX. —August 27. 



Honest Industry. — Prov. vi. 6-22. 



6. IT Go to the ant, thou sluggard ; con- 
sider her ways, and be wise : 

7. Which having no guide, overseer, 
or ruler, 

8. Provideth her meat in the summer, 
and gathereth her food in the harvest. 

9. How long wilt thou sleep, O slug- 
gard? when wilt thou arise out of thy 
sleep? 

10. Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, 
a little folding of the hands to sleep : 

11. So shall thy poverty come as one 
that travelleth, and thy want as an 
armed man. 

12. IT A naughty person, a wicked man, 
walketh with a froward mouth. 

13. He winketh with his eyes, he speak- 
eth with his feet, he teacheth with his 
fingers; 

14. Frowardness is in his heart, he de- 
viseth mischief continually; he soweth 
discord. 

15. Therefore shall his calamity come 



suddenly ; suddenly shall he be broken 
without remedy. 

16. 1f These six things doth the Lord 
hate; yea, seven are an abomination 
unto him : 

17. A proud look, a lying tongue, and 
hands that shed innocent blood, 

18^ A heart that deviseth wicked im- 
aginations, feet that be swift in running 
to mischief, 

19. A false witness that speaketh lies, 
and he that soweth discord among 
brethren. 

20. IT My son, keep thy father's com- 
mandment, and forsake not the law of 
thy mother: 

21. Bind them continually upon thine 
heart, and tie them about thy neck. 

22. When thou goest, it shall lead thee ; 
when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee ; 
and when thou awakest, it shall talk with 
thee. 



The sixth chapter of Proverbs consists of four independent admoni- 
tory discourses, varying in their length and contents. The second and 
third, entitled by one "Rebuke of the Sluggard," and, "Warning 
against Deceit and Violent Dealing," are embraced in this lesson 
under the head of " Honest Industry." 

Vers. 6-8. Go to the ant, thou sluggard. — In all countries the ant 
is proverbial as an example of diligence, and an emblem of industry; 
and the sluggard is directed to go to this teacher, and learn wisdom 
from her ways. Without any overseer or ruler she provideth her meat 
in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest. In chap. xxx. 
25, we read, " The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their 
meat in the summer." It is not said that they lay up their food for 
the winter ; for they sleep during the winter, and do not need food. 
It is simply stated that they provide their food in summer, and gather 
it in harvest, when it is most plenty. In the autumn and spring they 
are awake, and laboriously at work, as well as in the summer. The 
lesson taught by them is, that the season for earnest and unceasing 
toil in all departments is the harvest-time, when there is an abun- 
dance within one's reach. Compare the example of Joseph in Egypt 
(Gen. xli. 33-36). 

Vers. 9, 10. How long wilt thou sleep, <fec. — Literally, Till when 
wilt thou lie, O sluggard? Wilt thou continue lying forever? Wilt 
thou never rise ? Then follows an ironical imitation of the language 
of the lazy man, " Yet a little sleep," &c. ; "A little folding of the 
hands." This is the attitude of one who is preparing himself for 
sleep, and folds his hands and arms in inaction, that ought to be 
employed in vigorous work. In Eccl. iv. 5, we read, " The fool foldeth 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS, 1876. 123 

his hands together, and eateth his own flesh;" that is, he exhausts 
his strength, uses up his fortune, and thus, by idleness, brings ruin 
upon himself. 

Ver. 11. So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth. — Literally, 
as one that walketh forwards and backward on the roads, a highway- 
man. In chap. xxiv. 34, we have, '"Then cometh thy poverty apace," or, 
then cometh quietly thy poverty. " And thy want as an armed man ; " 
literally, " as one armed with a shield ; for even the assailing robber, 
since he must necessarily be prepared for resistance, must carry with 
weapons of offence the means of defence." Against such an armed 
foe, the poor man, weak in his poverty, is powerless. 

Ver. 12. A naughty person. — Literally, a man of Belial, or of 
worthlessness, a wicked man. Idleness and vice are usually allied ; 
as, on the other hand, are industry and virtue. The wicked man 
"walketh with a froward mouth," or, in perverseness of speech. 
His heart becomes corrupt by his perverse and impure speech, and 
he is susceptible to the evil words of others (see chap. iv. 24, xxviii. 
18). 

Ver. 13. He winketh with his eyes. — See a similar expression 
(chap. x. 10; Ps. xxxv. 19). " He speaketh with his feet." He com- 
municates with signs in a mysterious way, first with one foot and 
then with the other. He hinteth with his fingers. In all these signs 
there is an implied evil purpose, and they are used by the low and 
vicious. 

Yer. 14. Frowo.rdness is in his heart. — And hence "he deviseth 
mischief continually; he soweth discord." He lets loose contentions, 
or throws out matters of dispute. Instead of promoting peace, he 
stirreth up strife, and is a source of discord and misery in society. 

Yer. 15. Suddenly shall he be broken. — As he ought to be. He 
shall be shivered like a potter' s vessel, and thus utterly destroyed (Ps. 
ii. 9; Isa. xxx. 14. Comp. chap. xxix. 1; Isa. i. 28). 

Yer. 16. These six things doth the Lord hate, yea, seven. — Arnot 
remarks, " There is one parallel well worthy of notice between the 
seven cursed things here, and the seven blessed things in the fifth 
chapter of Matthew. The first and last of the seven are identical in 
the two lists. ' The Lord hates a proud ' is precisely equivalent to 
'blessed are the poor in spirit;' and he that ' soweth discord among 
brethren ' is the exact converse of the ' peacemaker.' " 

Vers. 17-19. A proud look, or, haughty eyes. — Literally, high or 
lofty eyes. As in chap. xxx. 13: "There is a generation, oh, how 
lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up;" expressive of 
those who are full of vanity, pride, and insolence (comp. Ps. xviii. 27, 
cxxxi. 1, Job xxi. 22, xl. 11). A false witness that speaketh lies. 
Literally, one that breathes lies. A false witness, one who on oath, 
before a court of justice, speaketh lies, is most hurtful in the sight of 
God (see chap. xxv. 18, xix. 5, 9). These six or seven vices are all not 
only great sins in the sight of God, but they are manifestations of hatred 
to one's neighbor, and a violation of the second table of the Decalogue. 
They are intensified with a degree of falseness and malice that renders 
them destructive to human happiness, and hence objects of the ab- 
horrence of a holy God, and deserving of his righteous judgments. 

Vers. 20, 21. My son, keep thy father's commandment. — The only 
way to avoid the sins and evil courses that have been pointed out is 



124 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 

for youth to follow the instructions of their pious parents. Their 
commandments and laws, they are exhorted to bind continually upon 
their heart. In chap. hi. 3, the exhortation is, " Write them upon the 
tablet of thy heart." Everything outward — our looks, words, and 
deeds — depends upon the state of the heart. We cannot emphasize 
with too much earnestness the necessity of resisting evil and impure 
thoughts that seek access to the heart. With every one the battle is 
fought here. Every youth who obeys the command, " Be ye holy, for 
I am holy," is the mightiest of conquerors. Crowns await him in 
this life, and in that which is to come. 

Ver. 22. Wlien thou goest, it shall lead thee. — The law of God, 
which "is light" (ver. xxiii.), shall lead thee, and keep thee from 
the dark and dangerous paths of sin. When thou steepest, it shall keep 
thee. — It will supply the mind with good thoughts even in dreams, 
and afford protection in the hours of sleep. "When thou awakest, it 
shall talk with thee." It shall be thy constant companion, counsellor, 
and friend. 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS, 1876. 



125 



LESSON X. — September 3. 



Intemperance. — Pro v. xxiii. 29-35. 



29. "Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? 
who hath contentions? who hath bab- 
bling? who hath wounds without cause? 
whohath redness of eyes ? 

30. They that tarry long at the wine ; 
they that go to seek mixed wine. 

31. Look not thou upon the wine when 
it is red, when it giveth his color in the 
cup, when it moveth itself aright. 

32. At the last it biteth like a serpent, 
and stingeth like an adder. 



33. Thine eyes shall behold strange 
women, and thine heart shall utter per- 
verse things. 

34. Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth 
down in the midst of the sea, or as he 
that lieth upon the top of a mast. 

35. They have stricken me, shalt thou 
say, arid I was not sick ; they have beaten 
me, and I felt it not : when shall 1 awake ? 
I will seek it yet again. 



In this chapter we have a series of "warnings against the chief forms 
of sensnal indulgence, and exhortations to the practice of temperance 
and virtue. First, there is reference to an undue gratification of the 
appetite at the tables of rulers and great men, and the supposed 
enjoyments and advantages of intercourse with envious men, with a 
warning against covetousness (vers. 1-8). Then follow warnings against 
rude conversation (ver. 9) ; against the greedy exercise of violence 
towards the fatherless, and others who are weak (vers. 10, 11) ; against 
an injurious forbearance in the discipline of children (vers. 12-18) ; 
against intercourse with wine-bibbers and the gluttonous (vers. 19-21) ; 
against a proud disregard of what is due to parents (vers. 22-25) ; against 
being insnared by wanton women (vers. 26-28) ; and against the awful 
vice of drunkenness (vers. 29-35). 

Ver. 29. Wlw hath woe f — The evil of intemperance, and the true 
character of the vice, are here set forth by a vivid picture of its 
ruinous results. These results are connected with indulgence in 
• strong drink by the universal and unalterable law of cause and effect. 
The intemperate man can no more escape the consequences of his 
sensual course than he can fly from the laws of nature, or reverse the 
order established by divine Providence. Some of these consequences 
are presented in this verse in the form of questions, to arouse attention 
to them, and give to them the impressiveness which they demand. 
Who hath woe, sorrow, contentions, babbling, wounds without 
cause, redness of eyes? Who is there so afflicted, so demented, so 
repulsive, as to answer this description? It would seem as though 
one of these burdens was enough for any one to carry. But to have 
a soul filled with woe, a spirit active only in contentions, an intellect 
that might soar with the angels, babbling out unmeaning and inco- 
herent utterances, " wounds got by falling out about nothing," and 
eyes blood-shotten with excessive drink, or black or blue from fighting, 
— we do not wonder, that, under such burdens, men stagger, and fall 
to the earth. The physical is certainly most expressive of the moral. 

Ver. 30. They that tarry long at the wine. — Here are found the 
class that have been described. They are referred to in Isa. v. 11. 
"Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning that they may 
follow strong drink, that continue until night till wine inflame them ! " 



126 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 

That go to seek mixed wine. — Such meet in some house or place of 
public resort, and drink together strongly spiced wines, or mixed 
liquors, that are more intoxicating than pure wines. Social drinking 
leads to private indulgence, and mild wines create a taste for stronger 
liquors ; and usually, as the stomach grows weaker, and the body 
becomes enfeebled and unable to resist the foe, the drink craved is of 
a more fiery and consuming character. 

Yer. 31. Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, or when it 
sparkleth in the cup, literally "giveth out, or showeth its eye," or 
when it glideth smoothly. Of this latter expression two interpre- 
tations have been given, — one based upon the smooth flow in the 
glass of rich, oily wine, and the other upon its smooth, pleasant Aoav, 
as it is swallowed. The color of the wine, its sparkling eye, and its 
smooth flow, as well as the odor, all make their tempting appeals. 

Yer. 32. At last it biteth like a serpent. — The acute miseries of 
drunkenness, the bite and the sting, are here contrasted with the 
temptation. That which has fascinated the eye is found in the end 
to be a deadly poison. 

Yer. 33. Thine eyes shalt behold strange icomen. — Yices usually go 
together. Admitting one into the open door of the soul, others 
follow. The imagination, taken possession of by the devil of intox- 
ication, pictures to the mind other forms of sinful indulgence ; and 
the will seems helpless in its power. 

Yer. 34. Shall be as one in the midst of the sea. — " Probably not 
one who is out in the midst of the high seas, but one who is in the 
depths of the sea (Jonah ii. 4), and therefore one who is as uncon- 
scious, with the spirit as completely removed from all previous sur- 
roundings, as a drowned man lying upon the deep sea bottom." 

As one that sleepeth on the top of a mast. — A vivid image of one 
reeling or swinging to and fro on the top of a mast, moved by every 
wave, totally unconscious of the perils that every instant threaten his 
life. Who will be so simple, so void of understanding, so reckless of 
consequences, as to voluntarily place himself in such a position ? The 
mariner may cling to the mast, and outride the storm. But the 
drunkard is there bereft of his senses and his strength. The wild 
tempest is without, and woes and sorrows are within. Alas! how 
many thousands and tens of thousands of our countrymen are there ! 
How many fall every day from the masthead, and are dashed in 
pieces ! 

Yer. 35. They have stricken me. I have not felt it. — He has 
become almost insensible to blows, is reduced to the lowest possible 
condition, so that the greatest bodily abuse does not affect him ; and 
yet he resolves to seek again his cups. The maddening wine still 
allures him on. Nothing has power over him but the eye of the 
serpent. Charmed, fascinated by that, he will follow it to destruc- 
tion. Staggering under his heavy woes, exhausted by his incoherent 
babblings, with an inflamed and diseased body, with a soul on fire of 
hell, he follows his seducer, helpless, hopeless. When the young 
look upon the sparkling wine, let them think of the bite of the 
serpent, and the sting of the adder. 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS, 1876. 



127 



LESSON XI. — September 10. 



The Excellent Woman. — Pro v. xxxi. 10-31. 



10. 1T Who can find a virtuous woman? 
for her price is far above rabies. 

11. The heart of her husband doth 
safely trust ill her, so that he shall have 
no need of spoil. 

12. She will do him good and not evil 
all the days of her life. 

13. She seeketh wool, and flax, and 
worketh willingly with her hands. 

14. She is like the merchants' ships ; 
she bringeth her food from afar. 

15. She riseth also while it is yet night, 
and giveth meat to her household, and a 
portion to her maidens. 

16. She considereth a field, and buyeth 
it : with the fruit of her hands she plant- 
eth a vineyard. 

IT. She girdeth her loins with strength, 
and strengtheneth her arms. 

18. She perceiveth that her merchan- 
dise is good : her candle goeth not out 
by night. 

19. She layeth her hands to the spindle, 
and her hands bold the distaff. 

20. She stretcheth out her hand to the 
poor ; yea, she reacheth forth her hands 
to the needy. 

21. She is not afraid of the snow for 
her household : for all her household are 
clothed with scarlet. 



22. She maketh herself coverings of 
tapestry ; her clothing is silk and purple. 

23. Her husband is known in the gates, 
when he sitteth among the elders of the 
land. 

21. She maketh fine linen, and selleth 
it ; and delivereth girdles unto the mer- 
chant. 

23. Strength and honor are her cloth- 
ing; and she shall rejoice in time to 
come. 

26. She openeth her mouth with wis- 
dom; and in her tongue is the law of 
kindness. 

27. She looketh well to the ways of her 
household, and eateth not the bread of 
idleness. 

28. Her children arise up, and call her 
blessed; her husband also, and he prais- 
eth her. 

29. Many daughters have done virtu- 
ously, but thou excellest them all. 

30! Favor is deceitful, and beauty is 
vain : but a woman that f eareth the Lord, 
she shall be praised. 

31. Give her of the fruit of her hands ; 
and let her own works praise her in the 
gates. 



Ver. 10. IVho can find a virtuous woman ? — This language ex- 
presses the idea of a wish; and is equivalent to, "Would that every 
one might find so great a treasure as a virtuous woman ! " For her price 
is far above rubies, or pearls. Writers on the countries of the East 
show the force of this language, and of the description given in this 
chapter, in contrast with the ordinary ignorance, weakness, and worth- 
lessness of the women. In those lands, a woman of superior physical 
and moral qualities is of far more value than rubies. 

Yer. 11. So that he shall have no need of spoil. — The reference is 
to the spoil of war. This is a strong expression to describe the great 
profit which an efficient wife brings to her husband, by her co-opera- 
tion with him in his occupation. His heart doth safely trust in her 
on this account, and because of her careful management of the affairs 
of the household. 

Yer. 12. She will do him good. — In good deeds, as well as kind 
words, having his happiness constantly in view all the days of her life. 

Yer. 13. She seeketh wool and flax, — and thus provides herself 
with materials for the products of her feminine skill. She worketh 
willingly with her hands ; literally, laboreth with her hands' pleasure. 
Her work is her pleasure, as it is with all who appreciate activity and 
industry. Among the Greeks, Romans, and Jews, women even of the 
highest rank worked with their hands at the various kinds of occu- 



1-? KXPLAMJTORY NOTES. 



or comfort of their fa»niwt, ir 

:~i :•: f-:zir ri"-:.: :':* ; t: t 
fcaa**" *fcqp«L — Site bays or imports 

:■: ::: t.^t . -:■- m : :!-■» ' r.r i- m 
- - ■:- ~-.. : " ill :.::"_: -. mi : ::- 

*fj*L — She is a rigid economist of 

".:- :izlz'-- m _ r::.- mi ■;--.::- 
1 "i:.— : I'm 777. -It :.>t? T.m>. 

:t Lijlizl: m : 77-; .7— :•:.:': 
• :•: -7: mmim-i _7 ;:: - "~ "■■"-•; " :: : --~ 
_-;~ mi :•: ~:t^ __.;.- t~-: _ ming 



— 77- j: ^u£n, ttus wis a 



: y "■ — -_t - ■ 

ii 7 if 7_7 51 7. L- "_ " 

Lf l'_7. ~77J7 lill 77;7_: 7. 

1 it :'-r .-I'. 7,-77777. 777 1 1.7 t ~ 7 " _ 7. 



■f tar hamdtolkc poor- — 1 

771 5_7 177 5 77115 .777 77717 5 

: :_ • ?t 777 r?7.i: -7-- LVv- -f 

- 7'. . . 7 _ ~'.7_ "~ - 1_ 7 1 1. 5 I ~ 7t. 

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• ilifa 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS, 1876. 129 

of apparel that the woman wears, the contrasted colors, white and 
purple, appear again." The purple is supposed to be the product of a 
precious fluid obtained from a large shell-fish found on the coasts of 
the Mediterranean Sea. 

Ver. 23. Her husband is known in the gates. — Her excellent quali- 
ties contribute to his reputation ; and he is an elder among his people, 
and sits as a magistrate in the gates. 

Vee. 24. She maketh fine linen, &c, — that is, exceedingly fine 
inner garments, such as shirts, or fine muslin coverings; some of 
which are so very fine, that, when spread on the grass, they are 
scarcely discernible. She dealt also in girdles, — a general and ex- 
pensive article of dress. They are often highly ornamented with 
gold and silver thread worked into flowers, and various beautiful 
devices. 

Ver. 25. Strength and honor. — Strong and beautiful is her cloth- 
ing ; or figuratively, for moral character, she is vigorous and honor- 
able. In the future she can rejoice, reflecting upon the past, or upon 
the ample provisions she has made for her household. 

Vers. 26-27. She openelh her mouth with wisdom, &c. — Her moral 
qualities are now presented. Her speech is full of wisdom and intel- 
ligence ; and, more than all, her tongue is the law of kindness. — This 
law governs her in her intercourse with her husband, her children, 
her servants, and all with whom she has dealings. She looketh well 
to the ways of her houseliold, — seeing that all the members receive 
religious instruction, and walk in the paths of virtue. 

Vers. 28, 29. Her children arise up. — Those whom she has nur- 
tured and educated in the fear and love of God now rise up to bestow 
upon her blessings. Her husband gives her the highest praise, in the 
words, " Many daughters (or women) have done virtuously, but thou 
excellest them all." 

Ver. 30. Favor is deceitful. — Favor, or grace of personal manner, 
is a deception ; and beauty is a breath, that soon passes away. But a 
woman that feareth the Lord, that has spiritual grace, and the beauty 
of religious virtues, is worthy of the highest praise. 

Ver. 31. Give her of the fruU of her hands. — The fruits- of her 
character and life form her best eulogy. These are eloquent in her 
praise in the gates, where the population of the city gather, and large 
assemblies meet. 

Nothing can be added to the simple beauty of this portrait of a wife 
and mother. 



130 



EXPLANATORY NOTES. 



LESSON XII. — September 17. 
A Godly Lite. — Eccl. xii. 1-14. 



1. Remember now thy Creator in the 
days of thy youth, while the evil days 
come not. nor the years draw nigh, when 
thou shalt say, I* have no pleasure in 
them; 

2. While the sun. or the light, or the 
moon, or the stars, be n id, nor 
the clouds rerorn after the rain : 

3. In the day when the keepers of the 
house shall tremble, and the strong men 
shall bow themselves, and the grinders 

because they axe few, and those 
that look out of the windows be dark- 
ened. 

4. And rbe doors shall be shut in the 
streets, when the sound of the grinding 
is low. and he shall rise up at the voice 
of the bird, and all the daughters of 
music shall be brought low ; 

5. Also ichen they shall be afraid of 
that ichich is high, and fears shall &ein 
the way. and the almond-tree shall 
flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a 
burden, and desire shall fail: because 
man goeth to his long home, and the 
mourners go about the streets : 

6. Or ever the sdver cord be loosed, or 
the golden bowl be broken, or the 
pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the 
wheel broken at the cistern. 



7. Then shall the dust return to the 
earth as it was: and the spirit shall 
n unto God who gave it. 

S. ^ Vanity of vanities, saith the 
preacher; all is vanity. 

9. And moreover. because the 
preacher was wise, he still taught the 
people knowledge : yea. he gave good 

gfai out. and set in 
nianyprov 

The preacher sought to find out 
acceptable words: and that ichich icas 
written icas upright, even words of 
truth. 

11. The words of the wise are as goads, 
and as nails fastened by the mas: 
assemblies, rchich are given from one 
shepherd. 

Ll'. And further, by these, my son. be 
admonished: of making many books 
there is no end: and much study is a 
weariness of the flesh. 

13. *7 Let us hear the conclusion of the 
whole matter: Fear God, and keep his 
commandments : for this is the whole 
duty of man. 

14. For God shall bring every work 
into judgment, with every secret thing, 
whether U be good, or "whether it be 
evil. 



The chapter is divided into two parts. The first seven verses con- 
tain "• an admonition to fear God during: youth, and not leave this to 
old age. the period when approaching death announces itself through 
many terrors. — here depicted in a series of poetical figures drawn 
from the various realms of nature and human life.*" The last seven 
verses embrace a review of the whole book, having reference to the 
personal worth of the author, and the importance of his teachings. 

Vee. 1. Remember nou: thy C taps of thy youth. — 

Remember the God who made you. — your Creator, Preserver, and 
bountiful Benefactor. Remember him with reverence for what he is 
in his nature, divine attributes, and perfections. Remember him with 
gratitude for daily temporal and spiritual blessings, for the treasures 
of knowledge, and the light of truth, for the gifts of his Son and the 
Holy Spirit, for his providential care and fatherly love. 

Remember him now in the days of thy youth, that there may be 
before thee a long, useful, and happy life: that the temptations and 
perils connected with the season of youth may be avoided, and that 
all the powers of the mind and affections of the heart may. in the 
fulness of their vigor, be consecrated to God. Remember him before 
tl. 2 evil days come when sinful habits have been formed, and the 
years draw nigh when the heart, hardened by evil courses, takes no 
pleasure in religious things. 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS, 1876. 131 

Yer. 2. While the sun or the light, &c. — The darkening of the 
sun and the light are here expressive of the diminishing joys of life in 
advanced age ; and the clouds are synonymous with the infirmities of 
old age. In the springtime of life, before the dreary winter comes, 
God should be remembered, obeyed, and loved. Then there will be 
no darkening of the sun, but the path will be "as the shining light, 
that shineth brighter and brighter unto the perfect day." 

Yer. 3. In the day ichen tlie keepers of the house shall tremble, &c. 
— The human body is here compared to a house. It is not unfre- 
quently in the Scriptures compared to a house, or a tent (see Isa. 
xxxviii. 12; Job iv. 19; 2 Cor. v. 1; 2 Pet. i. 13). The various parts 
of the body are presented in a series of striking metaphors. By the 
keepers of the house we understand the arms and the hands, that are 
used to protect the body, but which, in aged persons, become feeble 
and tremulous. And the strong men shall bow themselves. — The refer- 
ence here is to the legs, that have lost their muscular power, and 
bend under the weight of the body. Compare the crooked knees of 
Job iv. 4, the weak knees of Ps. cix. 24, the feeble knees (Isa! 
xxxv. 3). The grinders cease because they are few. — The teeth 
decayed, and but few remaining to masticate food. Those that look 
out of the windows. — The eyes, that have become impaired by age, and 
the sight of which is dim. 

Yer. 4. The doors shall be sJiut in the streets. — The reference here 
is to the mouth, the lips of which are compared to the two sides or 
folds of a door (comp. Ps. cxli. 3; Mic. vii. 5). In the streets, or, 
literally, " on the street, points to the function of the mouth as a 
means of communication with the outer world, whether by the recep- 
tion of food, or the sending out of words or other sounds." When 
the sound of the grinding is low. — One translates this " the voice of the 
mill," the teeth being regarded as a mill, from which the voice comes. 
In old age it becomes feeble and low. He shall rise up at the voice of 
the bird ; referring to the sleeplessness of old persons, who are dis- 
turbed by the chirping of the sparrow, or any other small bird. The 
daughters of music : the organs that produce and enjoy music, the 
voice and the ear, become enfeebled. 

Yer. 5. When they shall be afraid ofthatichich is high, of ascend- 
ing a hill or any eminence; and fears shall be in the way, and alarm 
them as they totter along in their feebleness. And the almond-iree 
shall flourish. — The white blossoms of the almond-tree here symbolize 
the silvery locks of the aged. The grasshopper, or the locust, shall be 
a burden, so much is the man's strength diminished: or, some com- 
pare the dry, shrivelled old man to this insect. Desire shall fail. — 
The natural bodily desires, and their gratification, shall fail or be abol- 
ished. Because man goeth to his long home, to the grave, from which 
there is no return. (Comp. Job vii. 10; Ps. xlix. 12.) He goes from 
all the employments and joys of earth. 

Yer. 6. Or ever the silver cord be loosed, &c. — Often, in the East, 
a lamp of frail material was suspended from roofs, by cords woven of 
silk and silver. The cord breaking, the golden bowl, or gilded lamp, 
was dashed in pieces. Thus the silver cord, the spinal marrow, which 
is white find precious as silver, is loosed as death approaches. The 
golden boicl is broken. — As the vessel containing oil is broken, so the 
body containing the blood, that is the supporter of life, meets with a 



132 EXPLAXATOBT XOTES. 

similar fate. ' ; Then shall the pitcher with which we used to fetch 
up water for the constant supply : life, and the repair of its de; 
be broken even at the fountain. And the wheel, all those organs that 
: .: the collecting and distributing of nourishment, shall be shat- 
tered, and disabled to do their office anymore.*" S nmenta- 
tors -::2ito find here the theory of the circulation of the blood. 

Tee. T. Then shall the dust return to the earth. — The two natures 
of man are here distinctly set forth. The material part, made of the 
dust of the earth, returns to its ;:,inal source. The spiritual and 
immortal part returns to God who gave it (comp. Gen. iii. 19. it 
also Ps. civ. . 

lis. S. Vanity of tanities, saith the preacher. — We come no* 
the general review of the book, which begins with the sentence which 
opened the book (chap. i. 1. 2), namely, a lamentation over the vanity 
of all earthly t hir r- . 

Tees. 9. 10. Because the preacher teas icise. — It is not enough 
that a teacher be wise and learned, but he must commun: sate his 
knowledge to others. He must teach also with acceptable words, that 
which is^true. lovely, and edifying (PhiL iv. S: 1 Pet. iv. 11 . 

The many proverbs here refer to the sayings of Solomon in the 
book of Proverbs. 

Tee. 1L Tfi,e icords of the icise are as goads? piercing deeply into 
the mind: inspired words, fastened in the memory, as by nail* by the 
master of assemblies, or rather by the master of collections : 
collections of inspire 1 sayings, binder one shepherd. The teacher is 
not only a wise man, but also a shepherd, the leader of a congrega- 
tion, a priestly teacher. 

Tee. 12. Of making many books, &c. — The idea is, th idy 

of the numerous human productions, to the neglect of inspired writ- 
ings, wearies the body, without profiting the mind. Thi- is :.::::lnly 
roe now as at that period. Were the time that is given Ic : / - 
lous literature devoted to the study of the holy Scriptures, and reflec- 
tion upon its sacred truths, the soul would be enriched with the 
choicest fruits of knowledge- To many consecrated Christians the 
Bible is not only the most important, but the most fasem ting of 
bookf They 1 {fight in its staa and it is to them a source oi :i ...- 
sit f joy, - 3smg that afi h k 1 by aD human productions. 

Tib. 13. Let us hear the conclusion of the ichole matter. — The 
grand ml a riiee and summing-up of the whole book is, Fear God, and 
keep his conunandments; Eeai him with a holy reverenc e ; love him. 
with all the soul, mind, and strength: and keep all his command- 
men:-. J": r this is t\ -. ' ..' :~ an (Rev, xxii L- 

Tee. 14. God shall bring every work into judgment. — God is m 
just and holy that he will allow no hidden sin to go unpunished, nor 
any secret good to be unrewarded. The judgment day will test the 
work and character of every man : revealing what is vanity, and what 
is a solid foundation of immortal happiness. 



FOUKTH QUAETER 

LESSONS IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. 



LESSON I. — October 1. 



Stephen's Defence. — Acts vii. 1-19. 



1. Then said the high priest, Are these 
things so? 

2. And he said, Men, brethren, and 
fathers, hearken; The God of glory 
appeai-ed unto our father Abraham, 
when he was in Mesopotamia, before he 
dwelt in Charran, 

3. And said unto him, Get thee out of 
thy country, and from thy kindred, and 
come into the land which I shall show 
thee. 

4. Then he came out of the land of 
the Chakheans, and dwelt in Charran: 
and from thence, when his father was 
dead, he removed him into this land, 
wherein ye now dwell. 

5. And he gave him none inheritance 
in it, no. not so much as to set his foot 
on: yet he promised that he would give 
it to him for a possession, and to his 
seed after him, when as yet he had no 
child. 

6. And God spake on this wise, That 
his seed should sojourn in a strange 
land ; and that they should bring them 
into bondage, and entreat them evil four 
hundred years. 

7. And the nation to whom they shall 
be in bondage will I judge, said God: 
and after that shall they come forth, 
and serve me in this place. 

8. And he gave him the covenant of 
circumcision: and so Abraham begat 
Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth 
day ; and Isaac begat Jacob ; and Jacob 
begat the twelve patriarchs. 

9. And the patriarchs, moved with 



envy, sold Joseph into Egypt : but God 
was with him, 

10. And delivered him out of all his 
afflictions, and gave him favor and wis- 
dom in the sight of Pharaoh king of 
Egypt ; and he made him governor over 
Egypt and all his house. 

11. Now there came a dearth over all 
the land of Egypt and Chanaan, and 
great affliction : and our fathers found 
no sustenance. 

12. But when Jacob heard that there 
was corn in Egypt, he sent out our 
fathers first. 

13. And at the second time Joseph 
was made known to his brethren; and 
Joseph's kindred was made known unto 
Pharaoh. 

14. Then sent Joseph, and called his 
father Jacob to him, and all his kindred, 
threescore and fifteen souls. 

15. So Jacob went down into Egypt, 
and died, he, and our fathers, 

16. And were carried over into Sychem, 
and laid in the sepulchre that Abraham 
bought for a sum of money of the sons 
of Emmor the father of Sychem. 

17. But when the time of the promise 
drew nigh, which God had sworn to 
Abraham, the people grew and multi- 
plied in Egypt, 

18. Till another king arose, which 
knew not Joseph. 

19. The same dealt subtilely with our 
kindred, and evil entreated our fathers, 
so that they cast out their young children, 
to the end they might not live. 



The closing lesson of the second quarter gave an account of the 
institution of the office of deacons (Acts vi. ), and the election of 
seven men "full of the Holy Ghost and of wisdom" (Acts vi. 3), to 
attend to the duties of this office. Of Stephen, one of the seven, it 

133 



134 EXFLAXATORY NOTES. 

is recorded, that he. "full of faith and power, did great wonders and 
miracles among the people" (Act^ vi. 8). Hi- z?al and success 
excited the opposition of the und he was charged with speak- 

blasph gainst Moses and again-t Acta vi. 

11 . He had doubtless maintained boldly, that the ancient Jewish 
religion was mply preparatory to the new dispensation, and that 
Christ, who ..:er than Moses and was divine, had come to ful- 

fil the ceremonial law. Hence he is held up as a false teacher, or an 
impostor: and blasphemy again-: Moses is :~:eemed also blasphemy 
against God. because the institutions of 31 ses were i divine 
appointment. 

Vze. 1 I the 7 : xgh priest. — The high priest was president 

of the council, or sanhedrim, before which Stephen was brought for 
triaL 

Are these thiyiu* se f — Stephen is permitted to speak in defence of 
the charges brought against him. In his speech he review deal- 

ings with Lis people from Abraham to the temple, showing a regular 
ievelopment in their religious life; involving changes in 
the institutions of divine worship, from altars to tabernacle, and 
from tabernacle to temple, and from temple to the universal worship 
of Him who said (Acts vii. 49), "Heaven is my throne, and eanh is 
my foot?: :'.." 

Yep.. 2. And he said. Hen. brethren, and fathers, hearken. — The 
opening of the speech is respectful and conciliatory, the term k " fathers *' 
being applied with reverence to the members of the council, and 
"brethren," a recognition of the common nationality of the spe 
tors who were present. It is probable that this addre-s was delivered 
in the Greek language, as this was generally spoken and understood 
in Palestine, and as we have reason to believe that Stephen was a 
Hellenist. 

The 'glory. — By this descriptive name of God, Stephen, at 

the commencement of his address, seeks ::< counteract the slanderous 
report brought against him of blaspheming his Maker. Besides, his 
mind is in an enthusiastic glow of contemplation of the inconceiv- 
able grandeur and boundless sovereignty of the Deity: and to him at 
this hour, while his face was. to those who looked upon him, " as it had 
been the face of an angel." the God above him was of glory."' 

He was robed in those wonderful celestial splendors which usually 
attended the earlier manifestations of hiniseif. See Exod. xxiv. 16 : 
Lev, ix. 23. 

OwrfaUu Al viham . . . in Mesopotamia. — The Jews were proud 
to call Abraham their father : and. in the respect felt for his memory, 
Stephen cordially shared. Mesopotamia lies between the River Eu- 
phrates and the Tigris, the word signifying between the rivers. Here 
the ancestors of Abraham lived (Gen. xxiv. 4) : and from TTr he 
accompanied his father Terah to Charran ^ Haran'. a very ancient 
in the northern part of Mesopota:. 

Tee. 3. Get the-. try. — The command here referred 

to is found in Gen. xii. 1. While Stephen represents this command 
as reaching Abraham anterior to his residence with his family in 
Haran. according to this record (Gen. xii. 1) it would seem that it 
came to him while dwelling in Haran ; but the statements of Philo 
and Josephus clearly ;how that it was the opinion of the Jews in 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS, 1876. 135 

that age, that Abraham had already received a divine command while 
he dwelt in Ur. In Gen. xv. 7, God says. " I am Jehovah who led 
thee forth from Ur in Chaldaea to give thee this land.' ' Ur was in 

the province of Chaldaea, or Babylonia, comprising the southern por- 
tion of the territory between the Tigris and Euphrates. while Mesopo- 
tamia embraced the northern region. 

Tee. 4. When Ms father was dead he removed him, &c. — According 
to the narrative, it was the original intention of Terah, who took with 
him his son Abram, together wi.h Sarai and Lot, on leaving Ur, to 
pr ceed to Canaan. But he went no farther than Charran (Haran), 
where he remained until his death (Gen. xi. 31, 32; xii. 5. The 
exact period of Abraham's departure from Charran is a question 
that has awakened discussion among commentators, too lengthy for us 
to present. Even if Stephen had not been chronologically accurate 
in his rapid summary, this would not detract from "the wisdom and 
the spirit by which he spake " (Acts iv. 10). 

Tee. 5. And he gave him none inheritance in it. — It is true (Gen. 
xxiii. ) that Abraham purchased of Ephron a field with a cave, for a 
burying place ; but as yet he had come into possession of no land as 
an inheritance from God. The fact to which Stephen gives promi- 
nence is, that the divine promise in reference to the land was given to 
Abraham before a child was bom to him; and hence the possession of 
the inheritance, and the birth of an heir, were the free gifts of God's 
grace. 

Tee. 6. And God spake on this wise, that his seed should sojourn in 
a strange land. Preference is made here to the passage in Gen. xv. 31 ; 
and the strange land spoken of is Egypt. Here the seed of Abraham 
were brought " into bondage/' or enslaved and treated with cruelty, 
for four hundred years. In Exod. xii. 41. and in Gal. iii. 17. the num- 
ber of years given is four hundred and thirty. Stephen probably in- 
tended to give the time in round numbers : as Josephus. who makes 
the period four hundred and thirty years, yet sometimes calls it four 
hundred. 

Tee. 7. The -nation . . . will I judge. — The Egyptians he will visit 
with punishment, as he did with plagues. Said God. — See Gen. xv. 
11. 

Tee. S. And he gave the covenant of circumcision. — The covenant 
that God graciously made with Abraham and his seed was attested by 
the rite of circumcision (Gen. xvii. 7-11). By this distinctive sign, 
God set apart a covenant people for himself. The twelve 'patriarchs. — 
The term means the head, or founder, of a family, then of the tribes. 

Tee. 9. The patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph. — Jealou-y 
and envy influenced them to remove Joseph out of the way, and to 
degrade him. But God was with him. He sustained him, and stood 
between him and the treacherous designs of his brethren. 

Tee. 10. Delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favor, 
&c. — God did all this. The point that Stephen is arguing to establish 
is, that this history is the development of the divine plan for carrying 
forward the Church from one stage of progress to another. God allows 
affairs to reach a crisis, and then interposes for deliverance, and all 
along causes the wrath of man to praise him. 

Tees. 11-13. Tliere came a dearth over all the land, &c. — In these 
verses, we have presented other links in the great chain of divine 



136 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 

providences , — the famine, the corn in I he departure of the 

brethren, the recognition and reconciliation between Joseph and his 
brethren. 

Tee. 15. 7 . .souls. — In this mini' nty-five 

souls, Stephen follows the Septuagint versi :.. whereas in the origi- 
nal Hebrew the number seventy is mentioned :: . _T : 
Es: 1 i. 5 . Adding the fire sons of Ephraim and M . born in 
Egypt after Jacob's removal, would make the seven: But 
Stephen's object was to show that this family, cons: the 
utmost of only seventy-five persons, became a great nation in 
Egypt 

Vebs. 15. 16. — . md our fathers, and were carriedorer. i 

— They, that is. our father, were carried over in to" Sychem. now known 
as Neapolis, Xablous. Jacob, who is set st in the 

preceding context, was buried in the sepulchre at Machpelah iGen. 
lxix. : . A - in Hebron (G-en. xxiii. 1 

That Abraham bou kt — There is in apparent discrepancy here, 
which has perplexed commentators. Jacob bought the field to which 
Stephen refer- see Gen. xxxiii. 10): and there the bone- : J seph, 
taken from Egypt, ~ere buried (see Josh. xxiv. 32;: while Abraham, 
bought the sepulchre at Hebron (see G-en. xxiii. 17-20). Emmr is 
the same as Hamor of the Old Testament. Sonir . iters .. : count for 
the apparent discrepancy, by supposing that the word *" Abraham *" : 
interpolation of some transcriber, from the original text : as many of 
the old manuscripts are without it. and some have in its place " 
father."" referring to Jacob. longs says. " It is. however, the most 
judicious course to admit frankly, that with reference to the purchase 
of the ground, and the burial of Jacob, it might easily occur that 
Stephen, whose discourse treated an entirely different and loftier 
theme, should in his rapid course, confound two analogous transac- 
tions." 

Veb. IT. When the time of the promise drc i. — The speaker 

now enters upon the second period in the history of redemption, 
namely, the times of Moses, vers. 17—15. The fulfilment of the 
promise is at hand, when, after four hundred years of sojourning and 

adage, the descendants of Abraham should come forth (ver. 7). and 

i in H: ly Land. The people grew and mm i '. — It was in 

lance ~ith the divine plan, that this family should grow into a 

nation, under circumstances that would prepare them as instruments 

for the fulfilment of other great and precious promises. 

Tee. IS. Till mother king arose. — One of another race or dynasTy : 
who knew mat ■' sej ".. that is. who felt no interest in bun. or respect 
foi him. TTho this new king was. is not positively known. "Wi - 
inson understands it to have been Arnoses. or Ames, the first of the 
eighteenth dynasty : others, that it was Eameses. the sixth of that 
lynasty. Champollion holds that it was Mandomei. 1585-1565 before 
the Christian era. The doubts on this point may yet be cleared up. 
In a library lately discovered at Memphis, the history of this period 
is said to have been found."' — Jacobus. 

Ver. 19. The same dealt subti'.~:'.\ . lire. — This strange king dealt 
harshly with the children of Israel, afflicting them with severe burdens, 
and causing their new-born children to be exposed to death. Pharaoh 
charged all his people (Exod. i. 22) to cast the new-born sons of the 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS, 1876. 137 

Israelites into the Xile. The Egyptians made their lives bitter with 
hard bondage, and in all manner of service in the field (Exod. i. 14). 

To the end they might not live. — The king desired to prevent their 
increase, that they might not become a formidable power. But they 
were under the care and guidance of an invisible King, whose 
authority and designs were not taken into the account by the king of 

Egypt. 



: = 



EXPLASATOR J S 7 E S 



LESSON H.— October 8. 



5rz: za - _ ztizaz — a 



Ucses whom liter refused. - 

5:. . j ~A: ^:. .r zz-r z -At zzz I - 
jadseV ike same did God said to fe a 
raier and a dehvezer by the hand of the 

5 ..-T. — A A :,• ■ . :,.t A: A.-.. . - .1- A: A 
1.T ': A: Ar~ :. A:-: A-: A 
A .'. A:~ A ~ . :. -t7t --.ij-_r-> A At 
land of Ec^p*- aild ™ »**? £•£■! S 3 ** * ad 

A\ At _ .:~r- ; : :r_ -:.:"- 

'" : - ■- ■ A -7- -_. "_ -:.: '. 
iriT-: At :"_i" Itt- :r AnA a ;::A-: 
;i.l it A A. - : :ir -:■: r:>r f: — .: 
v:~ :: - - _- At Are- A:: — .: : — t : -.--- 
L_A -r L:::. 

_. • . - _ Au: — .\« — At 

A At "It--" — . A At iT.cA ~ A _ 

spake to him in the meant SinaL and' 
triik oorfaoher?: who received the live- 
ly oracle? to gixe onto ■ - 
39. To whom oar fathexs noaM not , 

: t~ " - . :__r^~ : A : _ A-__ i_:A 

A_- _-::-t r_jrriT-i ;.-.:> -;^ A~-: 
Kg " 

-_■ . ; :v.: zz:z: A ',~ : _ A At ~- :A- 
:: j A. -: A -5 ::: - . . -- 

vrbieh bmci g hl ns oat of the land of 
A_". — t : :. :.:: -A:., i: A::~t ::' 



a calf in those 

At :—'. : At A:_ 
:zxi :i ~—-s : ~ z~. 



r_--Ti r; ;:. _ t 



• - 

— '..\ - : >: . ". A-r • - A.rA. ; r_e 
AiA '.--.-:• -: - -1 r__ -r- "■ A • :< -. 7 

cC Tea. ye 100k up the ta bernacl e of 

: " : .A ■ :. . Ar --1. : : _- ". A v_- 

':-'.:. z : r~ — A A ~t r__~- A * : ~:r?A~ 
At-_ -Ail— A -r--:;;-:-'::-::: 

^ . :t :A-:= A; At At-:. It : : 

— ---: At -^A A— T— -.A: i: r . . - 
7 . : - - -. :. .z: z it.:-: A --- At A 
"-"_ A:..A::: :-::A_: :■: A:A.: 
A .: A A : . r-::. 

_- .-._ . : - _-. -■_ : v 

At: : A: -- - — 7 " ~ — " ' — r 7' " i_ 

r- --. : At .--At- -Am .- :1 lf--- 

:~t A:tt At A t :: :mtA._t_t uji:.: 

At 1- -:A:-i; 

A : __A ::.-:r A: :> A-i ir.i 

A-_-t A . ^i.i :. ....tTtjAt ::: At -:d 

:: 1 2.::"; . 
-" : .:-: 1 .- ' AAA:3e 
^- A -;: At A:^: AiA :~AtA 

-:-. A :-_. A 5 z:iit _ ."1 An A -? 

sahh the pxophe*. 
•fSL Heaven it my thion e. and earth is 

— 7 :":•:--- ■ 1 ~--" - ""-~- "^ -A.: 
: : >AAI-:r: :z~'zzr. AA:t 
::' :--_-' 



In the sketch of the life of Moses in Egyp 
~ \z~z ::- ::.- ^tta 7 ::r.5 TTrrf'Tr: A~ 
ing fair (rer. 20) : fair to God. or before 
npon whom spectators looked wirh wondei 
He was adopted by Pharaoh's daughter, and 
(ve: _ I ~as learned in all the wisdom of t 
in words and deeds - . At forty rears 

be the deliverer of his brethren _ e ra . —26) 
va . 1 . and forced to flee for his life (ver. 29 
the angel of the Lord appeared to b 
S -..~.~z \ ::;:_;.. — ;: \ :: ::_. -.. ^:- : 
Vkb. o5. This Moses tekom they r e fus e d . 
r: : \~- z: .: .::.": ::. : : :- : " :; — ::'z. '.'_- :::.: 
following ver- zned to exl 

the divine call that Moses received, and the 
God. on the one hand, and the treatments 01 
received from his own people, who disovi 
Diis contrast was calculated fo show his fa e 
a former generation, and to warn them of 



zz\ 



zz. :^::.:.2_. t — " - z : -- .- 
G-z-d. He was a child 
;.- : z_~ ■:;.:;:-_ P~ ": . 

reared in a foreign court 

It Zr~ ::;.:_-. a I zz.:z'z'- 

:: ._:" ".v.: . : a:- . : : 

, but was rejected as such 

J : . :" -■.:._ : :"-:~:.- Is 

-34 

- _ 7 _-- : : : - " tA r.- 
M - in this and the 
ibit the contrast between 
work assigned to him by 
At . :__t: A z _". . ~L: :•'_ iif 
ned and rejected him.** 
ren _t 7 Ambiance to 
the consequences of the 



INTERNATIONAL ft ft LESSONS, 1376. 139 

urae they were pursuing towards the divine ruler and deliverer that 
God had sent in the person of his Son. 

Vek. 36. He brought them out, 6c:. — Rather, this one. Mose-. sent 
hy God as their deliverer, brought them out. after that he had showed 
lers and b, that is. extraordinary miracles and signs : the 

divine presence and p:»wer. In U if Egypt: such were the ten 

plagues recorded in Exod. iv.-xii. In thel lb . when it was divided 
dlow the Israelites f [ tss through, and then ingulfed their enemies 
by the returning waters (Exod. xfrr. : Ps. cxxxvi. 13-16). In the wil- 
der) ■$. where they were miraculously provided with food 
from heaven, received srreams of water from the rock, and witne — I 
the mo-t extraordinary miracles in. the vicinity of Mount Sinai (Exod. 
x -■-[. xvii.. dec). 

Vzf.. 37. 3 sea, — Here Stephen connects the his: 

of Moses, of whom they boasted, with that of Christ, the great prophet 
like unt :> Moses, whom they rejected. Thus he pre-ents the parallel 
between the rejection of Moses by their fathers, and the rejection of 
Chrin by their nation at the present time. He leaves them to infer 
that the Christ, whom they had put to death, was that Prophet, was 
the Messiah, and that there was no real ground for any difference of 
opinion between them. The prophecy is found in Deut. xviii. 18L 

Ye:.. 3SL I tea is he that was in the church. — in the assembly, or 
c r.gregation of Israel, as the word is thus translated in Acta xix. 32. 
He w;is the honored mediator of the ancient church in the wilderness. 

With the o: -ike to him in the mount. — In Exod. xix. 3. 

It is stated, when Moses ascended Mount Sinai to receive the command- 
ments, that ' ; the Lord called unto him out of the mountain."' He 
called him through his angel, as at Horeb the angel of the Lord ap- 
peared unto Moses ver. 30). In the fifty-third verse we read of the 
law received by the disposition of angels: and St. Paul (Gal. iii. 19) 
speaks of the institution of the law. that : ordained by angel-." 

WMo recessed the lively oracles. — The commandme:::^ given by 3 
to Moses, and delivered by the latter to the people, are termed lively, 
or living oracles. Not that they have the power of imparting life 
where no life had previously existed, but may be said to possess a liv- 
ing power over the conscience, giving to it an increased vitality, or 
susceptibility to the influences of truth. 

Teb. 39. To whom our fathers would not obey. — Stephen thus 
holds up before his hearers the mirror of the stubbornness and diso- 
bedience of the fathers of the nation, that they may see themsel - 
reflected in it. Notwithstanding Moses had worked mighty miracles in 
their behalf, carried them through the Be Sea, received from Gk 
his holy oracles, and devoted himself to their welfare, yet "thei 
him from them.'' They disobeyed him, and turned away from his 
instructions. 

In their h h ' back again. — There was a longing in their 

hearts after Egypt, and the modes of life to which they had there been 
accustomed. They even proposed to select a leadez and return to 
Egypt (Xum. xiv. - . 

Vkr 40 9 vying unto Aaron, Make ua gods (Exod. xxxii. 1). — 
They asked for idols to worship, such as the Eg;"::ians had. They 
wished them to go before them, according to the custom of Eastern 
nations, who carried their idols before them in their journeys and 



140 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 

military expeditions. The reason given was that Moses was so long 
absent in the mount, " We wot not what has become of him." Their 
leader is spoken of in a disrespectful manner, and regardless of the 
great obligations they are under to him. 

Ver. 41. And they made a calf. — In Exod. xxxii. 3, 4, it is said 
that Aaron made the molten calf. But as they furnished the materi- 
als, and it was made under their direction, they are the responsible 
makers of it. This calf, or image of the bull, was doubtless a symbol 
borrowed from the Egyptians. The sacred bull (Apis) was worshipped 
as the image of Osiris, the god of agriculture. 

And offered sacrifice unto the idol. — This is called by Stephen an 
idol, though, strictly speaking, it was to the Israelites an image, not of 
an imaginary or false god, but of the true God. For we are told 
(Exod. iii. 5), that Aaron " built an altar before it, and made procla- 
mation, and said, To-morrow is a feast to the Lord." Still any image 
of Jehovah made by man, and used as the medium of worship, may 
be pronounced an idol. They rejoiced in the works of their own hands. 
Thus they sinned against their Creator, "by joyfully deifying the 
works of their own hands, namely, created objects." 

Vek. 42. Then God turned and gave them up. — As a punishment 
for their disobedience, and apostasy from the worship of the living 
God, God turned away from them, and gave them up to idolatry. 
They first turned away their hearts from him ; and then he turned 
himself away from them, and left them under the dominion of abso- 
lute idolatry. Thus he punished the apostasy of the Gentiles (Rom. 
i. 23-25). 

To worship the host of heaven. — They were abandoned to star-wor- 
ship, or the worship of the heavenly bodies. This form of idolatry 
prevailed in Egypt, Chaldgea, and Phoenicia. 

As it is written in a book. — The reference is here to Amos v. 25, 26. 
The twelve minor prophets, from Hosea to Malachi, in the ancient 
division of the Scriptures formed but one book, called here " the 
book of the prophets." 

Have ye offered to me sacrifices? — The idea probably is, that, al- 
though they had offered sacrifices to Jehovah in the wilderness, they 
had not been accepted, because of the prevailing idolatry. 

Ver. 43. Ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch. — As a rival to 
"the tabernacle of witness," the Israelites bore along, in their march 
through the wilderness, the tabernacle or tent of Moloch, the name 
signifying a sovereign or king. Some suppose that this is the proper 
name for Saturn among the Phoenicians, with whom Baal means lord. 
It was the national king of the Ammorites, and most repulsive in ap- 
pearance. Children were often offered to him in sacrifice. See this 
horrid practice forbidden in Lev. xviii. 21, xx. 2. Strange as it may 
seem, Solomon bnilt a temple to this god on the Mount of Olives ; and 
King Manasseh, who yielded to every form of idolatry, made his chil- 
dren pass through the fire in honor of the hideous idol. See 2 Kings 
xxi. 2-6. 

The star of your god Remphan. — In Amos v. 26, the term used for 
this star-god is Chinn, which is the Arabic name of Remphan, or Re- 
phan. Remphan, in the Coptic, signifies light-giver, king of heaven, 
and hence is understood the sun. They also made " figures," that is, 
images and representations of deities that they worshipped. How- 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS, 1876. 141 

ever they might profess not to worship the image, but the deity repre- 
sented in it, — as the Papists pretend not to worship the images of the 
Virgin Mary and the saints, — still the use of all such representations 
in worship is strictly forbidden (Exod. xx. 4, 5). 

I will carry you away beyond Babylon. — In Amos v. 27, the lan- 
guage is, "I will carry you away beyond Damascus." When God 
threatened to expel the idolatrous people to a distant country, " the 
original Hebrew, which the Septuagint follows, simply specifies Da- 
mascus as the point beyond which they shall be carried. In view, 
however, of the well-known historical fulfilment of the divine words, 
Stephen substitutes the name of Babylon for that of the Syrian capi- 
tal." 

Ver. 44. Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness. — For an ac- 
count of this costly and sacred tent, made according to divine direc- 
tions, see Exod. xxv., xxvi. It was also called "the tabernacle of 
the congregation," or " tent of assembly." Stephen calls it the 
tabernacle of witness, as the place where God gave evidence, or wit- 
ness, of his glorious presence (Num. ix. 15) ; or as containing the two 
tables of stone, the testimony of God's covenant with the nation. 

As he had appointed who spake unto Moses. — The sanctity of the 
tabernacle is demonstrated by the fact that God designed it, and that 
it was made " after the pattern which was showed" to Moses in 
Mount Sinai (Exod. xxv. 9, 40). Though made with hands, it was 
according with the divine ideal, and was an image or type of heavenly 
realities (Heb. viii.). 

Ver. 45. Which also our fathers. — The tent, or tabernacle, con- 
tinued to be the sanctuary, not only in the wilderness, but in Canaan, 
up to the time of the building of the temple. It was brought in by 
Jesus (the Greek form of Joshua in the Septuagint). The name of 
Joshua was originally Oshea (Num. xiii. 8),which signifies " salvation." 
As the leader of God's people, Joshua was the type of Jesus, as Paul 
shows in his Epistle to the Hebrews. 

Whom God drave out. — The tabernacle with the ark were taken 
from place to place while God was driving out the Gentiles, until the 
days of David and Solomon. 

Ver. 46. Who found favor before God. — David being a " man after 
God's own heart," and hence greatly honored and blessed of God, 
"desired to find," or asked permission to build, a place, or a fixed 
shelter, as the original signifies, for the worship of God, in the place 
of a movable tent (Ps. cxxxii. 5; 2 Sam. vii. 1-4). 

Ver. 47. But Solomon built him a house. — This high privilege was 
granted to Solomon who, as a prince of peace, as his name imports, 
and as a son of David, was the type of David's greater Son, and of 
the divine Prince of peace. 

Vers. 48, 49. Howbeit the Most High dwelleth not. — Though Solo- 
mon built a costly and magnificent temple for Jehovah, still the divine 
presence and glory could not be restricted to any edifice made with 
hands. As saith the prophet (Isa. Ixvi. 1, 2), " Heaven is my throne, 
and the earth is my footstool." The whole creation is the dwelling- 
place of God. Such a being cannot be confined to any locality. 
Isaiah, at the close of his gospel prophecy, looking forward to this 
very period of transition from Judaism to Christianity, predicts this 
change from temple to universal worship. It is also described in 
beautiful and glowing language in Mai. i. 11. 



112 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 

Yek. 50. Hath not my hand made all these things ? — Shall the Cre- 
ator of this magnificent universe, he who lighted every star, and 
formed every world, and made all material things, be confined to a 
material structure? Thus Stephen shows not only the reasonableness 
of his argument, but that the very doctrine that he was charged with, 
as a profanation of the temple, had all along been taught in the Scrip- 
tures ; and that the whole design of altar-, the tabernacle, and temple, 
was to teach the Israelites, and through them all nations, that " God 
is a Spirit, and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and 
in truth ? " (John iv. 24). 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. L -. UB . 143 

LESSON III. —October 15. 
PHEH'a Maetyp.dom. — Acts vii 51-60. 

51. T Te stiff-necked and uncircum- 56. And said, Behold. I see the heavens 

eised in heart and ears, ye do always re- opened, and the Son of man standing on 

Holy Ghost : as your fathers did, the right hand of God. 

so*/* " __ -.-:. they cried out with a loud 

_ VThioh of the prophets have m:: voice, ind stopped their ears, and ran 

yoor fathers persecuted? and they have upon him with one a-: 

slain them which showed before of the r ~. And cast him out of the city, and 

coming of thr te ; of whom ye stoned him : and the witnesses laid down 

have been now the betrayers and mux- their clothes at a young man's feet, 

derexs : whose name was SauL 

53. "Who have received the law by the " And they stoned Stephen, calling 

disposition of angels, and have not kept upon God. and saying. Lord Jesus. :r- 

it. - -rit. 

17 "When they heard these things, 60. And he kneeled down, and cried 

they were cut to" the heart, and they with a loud voice. Lord, lay not this Bin 

gnashed on him with their teeth. I meat charge. And when he had said 

". But he. being full of the Holy this, he fell asleep. 
Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven. 

and saw the glory of God. and Jesus j 
standing on the right hand of God. 

Tzp.. 51. Ye stiff-necked and un circumcised. &c. — Stephen sud- 
denly changed the tine of his address. Whether he witnessed a 
restles-r.r-s in his audience, or discovered in their countenances the 
signs of a gathering storm of indignation and violence, we are not 
inf rmed. All along, he has been referring to the rebellions of the 
peopi: vers " H . and now he opens npon the rebels be: >i a 

him. The personal application of his doctrines and arguments is 
bold, direct, and most searching. Instead of his speaking ••blasphe- 
mous words n against Moses, the temple, and God, they are them- 
selves the guilty party. They are repeating the crimes of their 
fathers : and the speaker, catching the spirit of the old prophets in the 
narrative he is giving, lets them know it in language that they can- 
not misunderstand. The term "stiff-necked" was c nethat God thrc ugh 
Moses often applied to the rebellious and stubborn of his people (see 
Ex: 1. xxxii. 9, xxxiii. 3-5). In DeuL x. 16. it is associated with an 
uncircumcised heart. The image is taken from the resistance of ox sn 
that will not bend their neck- bo ret rive the yoke. l~ . . 
hearts and ea s. — Circumcision, viewed as . rite of .-ration to 
God. is figuratively applied to the heart and the ear. that is. the feel- 
ings and the understanding. Uncircumcised hearts and minds are 
therefore hard and rude, as th use : Pagans. 

Ye do afaf 1st the Holy GhosL — The charge which Stephen 

makes, he applies to the entire people of Israel, in all their sue irssive 
generations (Isa. lxvi. 10 . Lr ? : they might escape the personal and 
practical force of hi- k * As yc ur f athers did, so do 

Tee. 5i. Which - phets, dfcc — A s:: ng mode of stating 

a nation, they were so in the habit of persecuting the holy 

prophets whom God sent to them, that scarcely any escaped seel 

Chron. xxvrl. 15. 10 ; Jer.ii. 30 : Matt, xxi. 8". xxxiii .- , ,: The crimes 



144 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 

of the nation are so glaring and unremitting in this direction, that 
Christ exclaimed (Luke xiii. 34). w O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which 
killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee!" &c. 
Tho-e who had foretold the coming of the Messiah had been slain; 
even Isaiah, the most full and evangelical of them, is said to have 
been sawn asunder; and now of the " Holy One and the Just." " the 
Wonderful, the Counsellor, the Prince of peace,'' they are "the 
betrayers and the murderers." The Sanhedrim, by accusing him and 
placing him in the hands of Pilate, betrayed him ; and the Jews, per- 
sisting in the cry. "Away with him. crucify him ! " wore his mur- 
derers (Matt, xxvi. 66: Mark xv. 13. 14). 

Tee. 53. WJio haze received the laic by the disposition of angels. — 
Rather, by the arrangements or orders of angels. Drs. Doddridge and 
Clark understand the passage to mean ranks, or hosts, of angels, that 
appeared on Mount Sinai, when the law was given (see Deut. xxxiii. 
2). The allusion in Ps. lxviii. 17. to the chariots and angels of God 
in Sinai, is regarded as bearing upon this view. A simpler reading is, 
"Ye have received the law at the appointment o~ angels." In Gal. 
iii. 19. the law is spoken of as " ordained by angels."' and, in Heb. ii. 
2. " the word spoken by angels." It is evident that the ministry of 
angels was employed on that grand occasion: which fact increases the 
honor conferred upon the people, and renders their disobedience the 
more heinous. 

Yeb. 54. IVJien they heard these things. — When they heard the 
man whom they had charged with blasphemy, exposing their ungodly 
sentiments and. guilty deeds, they were cut to the heart. As one 
expresses it, " their hearts clave asunder" with the violence of their 
rage. 

They gnashed on Mm with their teeth. — They were ready to seize 
him with their teeth, and rend him in pieces. "As a chained dog 
seizes with his teeth the man that attempts to release him. so wicked 
men cannot endure the contact of those who desire to deliver them 
from bondage, and begin to rend them as enemies " (Matt. vii. 6). — 
Starke. 

Yeb. 55. But he being full of the Holy Ghost. — While his enemies 
were yielding more and more to the fire of their infuriated passions, 
he was filled, by the grace of God. with a heavenly fire. He was full 
of the Holy Ghost. Instead of looking upon the wild and maddened 
multitude around him, he looked up with faith and hope to heaven. 
In an ecstasy of spirit, he gazes upon scenes and objects there, that 
are only visible to his eye. 

Saw the glory of God ; that is, the celestial splendor in which God 
himself appears; and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. — This 
is a remarkable statement in regard to Jesus being seen standing, as 
he is always described by himself (Matt. xxvi. 64), and by the apos- 
tles and evangelists (Eph. i. 20: Mark xvi. 19), as sitting at the right 
hand of God. By his standing we must infer that he has risen to 
receive and welcome to heaven tliis faithful witness, and first Chris- 
tian martyr. 

Yeb. 56. Behold, I see the heavens opened. — Boldly, and without 
fear of the consequences, Stephen announces the glorious vision, that 
fills his whole being with heavenly light and joy, to the darkened 
souls by which he is surrounded. He sees the heavens opened, even 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS, 1876. 145 

unto the innermost sanctuary, unto the highest heaven, where stands 
the throne of the eternal King. Through the opening of " the ever- 
lasting doors," he sees the Son of man. Lange says, "It is remarka- 
ble that he here applies the name to Jesus, Son of man, which the 
Saviour so frequently employs, while the four Gospels do not mention 
a single case in which it was pronounced by another ; and neither the 
evangelists nor the apostles employ it themselves in the Gospels, the 
Acts, or the Epistles. . . . The employment of it in the present pas- 
sage is unquestionably an evidence of the historical fidelity of the 
narrative before us." 

Ver. 57. They cried out v:ith a loud voice. — The exasperation of 
the hearers had now reached its height. The arguments of Stephen, 
his sharp denunciations, and now, added to these, his witness to a 
heavenly vision, and the exaltation and glory of Christ at the right 
hand of God, were more than they could bear. They shout aloud to 
drown his voice. They stopped their ears so that they might not hear 
his supposed blasphemies, and rushed upon him an infuriated mob. 

Ver. 58. And cast him out of the city. — The meeting of the coun- 
cil was brought to a sudden termination by these fanatical proceed- 
ings. And without any judicial decision of the case, or action of the 
Eoman procurator, whose permission was necessary in order to 
inflict capital punishment (John xviii. 31), Stephen was cast out in 
accordance with the Levitical law (Lev. xxiv. 11), that required that 
a blasphemer be stoned "without the camp" (compare 1 Kings xxi. 
13; Heb. xiii. 12, 13). 

And the witnesses laid dov:n their clothes. — The law (Deut. xvii. 7) 
required that the men who witnessed against a transgressor should cast 
the first stones on him. In order that they might not be impeded by 
their outer flowing garments, they laid these aside, at the feet of a 
young man named Saul. Then they and the rest of the people hurled 
stones at Stephen. This is the first mention that is made of Saul, 
afterwards St. Paul. "While wicked men are stoning one witness, 
God is preparing to raise up another, to whom the heavens will open, 
and the light of whose faith, and the power of whose life, will fill the 
nations. 

Ver. 59. Stephen, calling upon God. — Two exclamations escaped 
the lips of the dying martyr. One is for himself, " Lord Jesus, receive 
my spirit ! " " Lord Jesus ! Lord Jesus !" This cry is the hope of the 
believer, the watchword of the Church, the inspiration of all who 
are faithful unto death. It rings through Christendom. It stirs the 
hearts of tens of thousands. It fires the hosts of God's elect, in 
their march to the promised land. It gives strength to " do all things," 
and bear all things. It opens heaven ; and pain and death are for- 
gotten in the immortal glories with which the departing spirit is 
flooded. 

Ver. 69. He kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice. — His second 
and last petition is for his foes. For them he kneels down. Perhaps 
his strength is failing, and he must kneel. He speaks in a voice that 
all can hear. The prayer is a sermon on Christian forgiveness. 

Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. — How similar to the prayer of 
Jesus on the cross ! — " Father, forgive them " (Luke xxiii. 34). Xo 
such example as this can be found in ordinary history. It is purely 
Christian. It comes alone from a " life hid with Christ in God." 



146 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 

He fell asleep. — Luke here designedly employs a word (occurring in 
John xi. 11; Acts xiii. 36; 1 Cor. xv. 18, 51) which is in striking 
contrast with the violent and bloody death. Amid the rage and bru- 
tal fury of foes, set on fire of hell, this martyr quietly falls asleep in 
Jesus. As though rocked by the zephyrs, and undisturbed by the 
slightest sound, he falls asleep. 

" Asleep in Jesus, blessed sleep ! " 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS, 187G. 



147 



LESSON IV. — October 22. 



Simox the Sorcerer. — Acts viii. 9-25. 



9. But there was a certain man, called 
Simon, which beforetime in the same 
city used sorcery, and bewitched the 
people of Samaria, giving out that him- 
self was some great one : 

10. To whom they all gave heed, from 
the least to the greatest, saying, This 
man is the great power of God. 

11. And to him they had regard, be- 
cause that of long tune he had be- 
witched them with sorceries. 

12. But when they believed Philip 
preaching the things concerning the 
kingdom of God. and the name of 
Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both 
men and women. 

13. Then Simon himself believed also : 
and when he was baptized, he continued 
with Philip, and wondered, beholding 
the miracles and signs which were 
done. 

14. Xow when the apostles which 
were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria 
had received the word of God, they 
sent unto them Peter and John : 

15. "Who, when they were come down, 
prayed for them, that they might re- 
ceive the Holy Ghost : 

16. (For as' yet he was fallen upon 
none of them :' only they were baptized 
in the name of the Lord" Jesus.) 

17. Then laid they their hands on 



them, and they received the Holv 
Ghost. 

13. And when Simon saw that through 
laying on of the apostles' hands the 
Holy Ghost was given, he offered them 
money, 

19. Saying, Give me also this power, 
that on whomsoever I lay hands, he 
may receive the Holy Ghost. 

20. But Peter said unto him, Thy 
money perish with thee, because thou 
hast thought that the gift of God may 
be purchased with money. 

21. Thou hast neither part nor lot in 
this matter : for thy heart is not right 
in the sight of Godl 

22. Repent, therefore, of this thv wick- 
j edness. and pray God. if perhaps the 

thought of thine heart may be forgiven 
thee. 

23. For I perceive that thou art in the 
gall of bitterness, and in the bond of 
iniquitv. 

24. Then answered Simon, and said, 
Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none 
of these things which ye have spoken 
come upon me. 

25. And they, when they had testified 
and preached the word of the Lord, re- 
turned to Jerusalem, and preached the 
gospel in many villages of the Samar- 
itans. 



The attack upon Stephen was the signal for a general persecution 
against the Church. The hostility that raged against Christianity, 
and, to the eye of man, threatened its destruction, only served to 
invigorate and extend it. The dispersed Christians preached the 
gospel " in the regions of Judaea and Samaria," thus scattering 
abroad the seeds of divine truth, while the apostles remained at 
Jerusalem to labor at this great centre for the Master (Acts viii. 1). 
As devout men were giving to Stephen an honorable burial, thus 
testifying to his innocence and godliness, Saul was making havoc in 
the Church; literally, tearing to pieces, as a wild beast, the Church. 
"Wherever Christians were to be found, he entered their houses, 
dragged forth the inmates, and committed them to prison ( Acts 
viii. 3). This he could not have done without the aid and sanction 
of the authorities. But his fiery spirit kindled the wild fanaticism, 
and was doubtless the soul of the movement, as that nature, after- 
wards converted and sanctified, was the power for extending the truth 
among the nations. 

Philip, who was a deacon (Acts vi. 5) and an evangelist (Acts 
xxi. 8), preached the gospel with great success in the (or a) city of 
Samaria. Here was a mixed race made up of Jews and heathen; 



148 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 

and through them a path was opened beyond Jerusalem (Acts 
viii. 5, (5). Philip's miraculous power was felt in the casting-out of 
unclean spirits, as well as in healing diseases (Acts viii. 7). His 
success created great joy in that city (Acts viii. 8). But the king- 
dom of darkness soon rallied its forces against the kingdom of 
light; and we have presented in our lesson the first great conllict 
between Paganism and Christianity. 

Yer. 9. But there was a certain man called Simon. — Concerning 
the origin of this man, Luke furnishes us with no information. 
Neander, Gieseler, and others have conjectured that he was the same 
Simon of whom Josephus speaks, who was a native of Cyprus, and a 
Jew. Justin Martyr says that he was a native of Gitta in Samaria. 
But, whatever doubts hang over these statements, he was unquestion- 
ably one of the men who, at that period of general expectation of 
the appearance of some great divine power, travelled through the 
country as fortune-tellers, astrologers, and interpreters of dreams, 
and acquired great influence by their supposed endowment of mirac- 
ulous healing powers. 

Vers. 10, 11. To whom they all gave heed. — So successful for a 
long time were Simon's sorceries, that he gained the confidence 
of all classes "from the least to the greatest." He was regarded 
as "the great power of God," somewhat answering to the divine 
power, that it was expected would be revealed in the coming 
Messiah. The Fathers say that Simon claimed to be the Logos, the 
Paraclete, &c. 

Yek. 12. But when they believed Philip. — Under the faith with 
which they heard the truths taught by Philip, the superstition created 
by Simon fast melted away. Simon sought only to exalt himself 
" giving out that himself was some great one" (ver. 9); but Philip 
never alludes to himself personally, but sets forth Jesus Christ as 
"the all and in all." The language of St. Paul (2 Cor. iv. 5), " We 
preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord," should be the lan- 
guage of every gospel messenger. 

They were baptized, both men and women. — They not only believed 
in the Lord Jesus Christ, but they publicly professed their faith by 
receiving the rite of baptism. Thus did the simple truth triumph 
over the cunning arts of error. As one says, " The apostolic simplicity 
of the dove will always triumph in the end over the fascinating 
influence and the cunning of the serpent. Where God's truth arises, 
the kingdom of lies must wane." 

Yee. 13. Simon himself believed also. — Simon yielded an intellec- 
tual belief to the doctrines he heard ; he was baptized ; and he " won- 
dered, beholding the miracles and signs that were done ; " and yet he 
possessed no true or saving faith. The renewing power of the gospel 
did not reach his heart. He heard with his ears the most sublime 
truths ever spoken; saw with his eyes miracles far above his own sor- 
ceries, wrought by the power of God ; received the symbol of inward 
purity and sincere faith ; and yet was destitute of spiritual life. Hav- 
ing a name to live, he was dead. 

Yee. 14. WJ} en the apostles . . . heard that Samaria had received the 
word of God. — This news was most unexpected and important. The 
wonder was, that the Samaritans, who were hostile to the Jews, and 
into whose cities Christ had first commanded the apostles not to enter 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS, 1876. 149 

with the gospel message (Matt. x. 5, 6), had become converted to Chris- 
tianity. They saw that the ancient barriers to the progress of the 
true religion were now broken down; and they resolved to send two 
of their number to this new missionary field. 

They sent unto them Peter and John. — Since the proposition to 
elect seven deacons (Acts vi. 3), this is the first measure adopted by 
the twelve apostles as an organized body of an authoritative ecclesias- 
tical character. For this new mission they select the two most prom- 
inent of their number, and those who had wrought the first apostolic 
miracle (Acts iii. 1). While this appointment conferred distinction 
upon Peter and John, and was an expression of confidence in their 
ability and faithfulness, it clearly shows that the appointing power 
rested with the whole body collectively, and that neither a Peter nor a 
John was elevated in rank above their brethren. The perfect equality 
of the apostles as here manifested is a direct refutation of the Pomish 
doctrine of the primacy of the Apostle Peter. 

Yer. 15. Who . . . prayed for them, that they might receive the 
Holy Ghost. — Having been converted under the influences of the 
Spirit, the apostles now pray that they may receive the extraordinary 
gifts that the Holy Ghost confers upon true believers. They follow 
up the good work begun by Philip. 

Yer. 16. As yet he was fallen upon none of them, — i. e., in such 
abundance, and with such visible manifestations, as marked the out- 
pouring of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost. They had been con- 
verted and baptized ; but there is a higher plain of spiritual blessed- 
ness and power yet to be reached. 

Yer. 17. Then laid they their hands on them. — After the interces- 
sory prayer had been offered for all of them, the imposition of hands 
was the sign of the reception of the gift of the Holy Ghost, by the 
individual upon whom hands were laid. This was not an exclusive 
apostolic act ; for in the very next chapter Luke gives an account of 
the laying-on of hands by Ananias, who was neither an apostle, nor 
an evangelist like Philip, but simply a Christian of Damascus. "And 
Ananias . . . putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, 
even Jesus that appeared unto thee in the way as thou earnest, hath 
sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the 
Holy Ghost. And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been 
scales; and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized " 
(Acts ix. 17, 18). There were other mediums beside this, through 
which the Holy Ghost was communicated with power. (See Acts 
x. 44-46.) 

Yer. 18. And when Simon saw, &c, — When he discovered this 
wonder-working power manifested by the apostles, and that it could 
be transferred to others, he coveted it as a means of gain, regarding 
it only as a higher sort of jugglery than he had practised. Thinking 
that the apostles were mercenary men like himself, he offered them 
money, probably a large sum, for this power. He regarded it as a 
kind of magic, not dependent upon one's spiritual state, but which 
could be exercised or transferred at pleasure. From this proposal, 
the name Simony is derived, which is applied to the traffic in divine 
things. The sale of livings in the Church, the offering or giving of 
secular advantages for ecclesiastical offices, or Church preferment, 
come under this term. The sin of Simon was twofold in seeking 



150 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 

from men what God alone could give, and in desiring to obtain for 
money that which is the free gift of divine grace. 

Vee. 20. Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee. — Peter, 
filled with holy indignation at such a proposal, instantly consigns the 
silver, and the man who offers it, to destruction. Had there been any 
desire on the part of Peter to grant the request, he could not have 
done it without violating the express command of his Lord, as con- 
tained in Matt. x. 8: "Freely have ye received, freely give." Be- 
sides, by attempting to sell the gift, he would have lost it himself. 
Coming from God, it depended upon his spiritual union with him. 

Vee. 21. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter. — Thou hast 
no share in it at all. The insincerity of the sorcerer places him out- 
side of this gift, even far from it. Thy heart is not right, is not 
straightforward in the sight of God. It is perverted and treach- 
erous. 

Vee. 22. Bepent, therefore, &c. — Turn from your wicked ways, 
and pray to God, "if perhaps" thou mayest "be forgiven." Tour 
case is a doubtful one: still there is some ground for hope (Acts 
xvii. 27; Mark xi. 24). 

Vee. 23. For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness. 
— The gall of the serpent is considered the seat of its poison ; and the 
influence of Simon in the Church, Peter sees, would be poisonous. 
He is also in " the bond of iniquity." He is wrapped up in iniquity. 
His profession and baptism have not freed him from "the snares of 
the Devil " (see 2 Tim. ii. 28). Hence the necessity of his speedy and 
radical repentance. 

Vee. 24. Simon said, Pray ye to the Lord for me. — The miserable 
man had no inclination or faith to pray for himself ; but, impressed 
with the apostles' power with God, he thinks that their prayers may 
avail for him. He has the spirit of modern Papists, who depend 
upon the intercession of their ecclesiastical superiors, and are ready 
to pay money for their prayers. The latter case, however, differs 
from the one before us, in the equal readiness of the priests to receive 
the money. 

That none of these things come upon me. — Simon desires to be deliv- 
ered from the consequences of his sins, rather than to be freed from 
sin by forgiveness and purification. Eudelbach, as quoted by Lange, 
says, " Thus Simon approached, step by step, that destruction from 
which there is no deliverance, although, at every step which he took, 
grace rebuked, warned, and called him ; thus his latter end was worse 
than the beginning (2 Pet. ii. 20). He had received grace; but, in 
place of applying it conscientiously, he employed it in promoting 
carnal purposes. The wonderful works of God which he beheld did 
not fill him with humility, but only tempted and animated anew his 
arrogant spirit. He sought to acquire a more precious gift than he 
had already received ; but it was his purpose to employ it in destroy- 
ing the souls of men. The call to repentance reached him, but did 
not infuse life into his soul; it simply led him to think of the means 
of escaping the temporal punishment of his sin." 

Vee. 25. Wlien they had testified . . . returned to Jerusalem. — 
When they had established the new converts in the faith, and raised 
up teachers endowed with the gifts of the Spirit, they returned to 
Jerusalem. But on their way they spent much time in preaching 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS, 1876. 151 

the gospel in many villages of Samaria. They availed themselves of 
every opportunity to make known salvation to perishing sinners, to 
testify for Jesus, and extend the kingdom of righteousness, peace, 
and joy in the Holy Ghost. They set an example worthy of the imi- 
tation of all Christian ministers and people. 



152 



EXPLANATORY NOTES. 



LESSON V. — October 29. 



Phelip and the Ethiopian. — Acts viii. 26-40. 



26. And the angel of the Lord spake 
unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward 
the south, unto the way that goeth down 
from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is 
desert. 

27. And he arose and went: and, he- 
hold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of 
great authority under Candaee queen of 
the Ethiopians, who had the charge of 
all her treasure, and had come to Jeru- 
salem for to worship, 

28. Was returning, and sitting in his 
chariot read Esaias the prophet. 

29. Then the Spirit said unto Philip, 
Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. 

30. And Philip ran thither to kirn, and 
heard him read the prophet Esaias, and 
said, TJnderstandest thou what thou 
readest ? 

31. And he said, How can I, except 
some man should guide me? And he 
desired Philip that he would come up 
and sit with him. 

32. The place of the scripture which 
he read was this, He was led as a sheep 
to the slaughter ; and like a lamb dumb 
before his shearer, so opened he not his 
mouth : 

33. In his humiliation his judgment 
was taken away : and who shall declare 



his generation? for his life is taken from 
the earth. 

34. And the eunuch answered Philip, 
and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh 
the prophet this? of himself, or of some 
other man ? 

35. Then Philip opened his mouth, 
and began at the same scripture, and 
preached unto him Jesus. 

36. And as they went on their way, 
they came unto a certain water : and the 
eunuch said, See, here is water; what 
doth hinder me to be baptized? 

37. And Philip said, If thou believest 
with all thine heart, thou mayest. And 
he answered and said, I believe that 
Jesus Christ is the Son of God. 

38. And he commanded the chariot to 
stand still: and they went down both 
into the water, both Philip and the 
eunuch; and he baptized him. 

39. And when they were come up out 
of the water, the Spirit of the Lord 
caught away Philip, that the eunuch 
saw him no more ; and he went on his 
way rejoicing. 

40. But Philip was found at Azotus; 
and passing through he preached in all 
the cities, till he came to Caesarea. 



Yer. 26. The angel of the Lord spake unto Philip. — The ministry 
of angels was a marked feature in the early history of the Church 
(see Acts v. 19, x. 3, xii. 1, xxvii. 23). The apostles having departed, 
a messenger from God appears to Philip, to direct him in a new 
path in accordance with the divine plan for extending Christianity. 
He is commanded to proceed in a southerly direction, unto the way 
that goeth from Jerusalem unto Gaza. It was not necessary for him to 
pass through Jerusalem, but simply to strike the road leading to Gaza 
from that city. Gaza was a very ancient city of the Philistines, 
mentioned in Gen. x. 19, situated about sixty miles south-west of 
Jerusalem, and less than three miles from the Mediterranean, near 
the southern boundary of Canaan. It had frequently been destroyed 
by war, and as frequently rebuilt. The gates of this city were carried 
away by Samson ( Judg. xvi. 3). 

WJiich is desert. — This clause designates the lonely road that Philip 
is to take, to accomplish the purpose for which he was sent. 

Ver. 27. And he arose and went. — No communication had been 
made to him of the object of this journey. He was simply com- 
manded to " Go ; " and, having implicit faith in God, he obeyed. He 
was to travel an unfrequented, or "desert" road, where he could 
scarcely expect to meet any travellers. The narrative that follows is 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS, 1876. 153 

one of the most simple and beautiful that we find connected with the 
history of missions in the apostolic age. The importance of the events 
described, as well as the graphic and vivid delineation of them, are 
calculated to awaken the deepest interest. 

And behold a man of Ethiopia. — Philip, who is probably travelling on 
foot, perceives -a chariot occupied by a stranger, who is an Ethiopian. 
This country, called in the Old Testament Cash, embraced the high- 
lands south of Egypt, or the territories named in modern times 
Nubia, Kordofan, and Abyssinia. The inhabitants were completely 
black, or of a swarthy complexion. This Ethiopian was a eunuch, 
a term that was often used in a different sense from its original, or 
physical meaning. It was applied to state officers of high rank. This 
man was the treasurer to Candace queen of the Ethiopians, Candace 
being the family name of the queens of this country, as was Pharaoh 
of the kings of Egypt. He was doubtless attended by a retinue 
suited to his rank. 

He had come to Jerusalem to worship. — This interesting fact implies 
that in his African home he had gained a knowledge of tbe God of 
Israel, and was led to make a pilgrimage to the holy city to worship 
him in his temple. He may have been a Jew by birth, or a Jewish 
proselyte. 

Ver. 28. Sitting in his chariot, &c. — According to a most com- 
mendable Jewish custom, he was occupying his time, on his journey, 
reading the Holy Scriptures. Probably he was furnished with the 
Greek version prepared in Alexandria, and well known in Egypt and 
the adjoining countries. "He had gone to see the sanctuary of 
Jehovah with his own eyes, to visit the holy city, 'to behold the 
beauty of the Lord, and inquire in his temple' (Ps. xxvii. 4). But 
he now searches the word of God in order to gaze into the sanctuary 
of the Lord with spiritual eyes. The word is indeed a true sanctuary. 
And even when the reader does not clearly and accurately under- 
stand the whole . . . his devout and earnest study of it is never- 
theless a most blessed employment, which conducts him nearer and 
nearer to the light." — Lange. 

Vers. 29, 30. The Spirit said unto Philip. ■ — An inward voice from 
the Holy Spirit that dwelt in his soul commanded him, " Go near 
and join thyself to this chariot." At once he ran towards the chariot; 
and as the man was reading aloud to himself, as was the Jewish cus- 
tom, he perceived that he was reading the words of the prophet 
Isaiah. Obeying the promptings of the Spirit, he boldly entered into 
conversation with the distinguished stranger by asking him, Under- 
standest thou what thou readest f 

Ver. 31. And he said, Row can I except some man should guide 
me ? — The nobleman replies with a candor and modesty that show his 
readiness to be taught the truth. How little does he dream of the 
interest felt in him by the God of Israel, whom he has made this 
journey to worship, and who has sent his angel to guide to him one 
to explain the prophecies relating to the great Kedeemer ! Philip, 
invited into the chariot, takes a seat at his side. 

Ver, 32. The place of the Scripture . . . was this. — It was the fifty- 
third chapter of Isaiah, the seventh and eighth verses. The quotation 
differs from the original Hebrew, being taken from the Greek of the 
Septuagint, with slight variations. It would seem that Philip had 



154 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 

addressed an inquiry to the traveller respecting the subject upon 
which he had been reading; and the latter replies by showing this 
passage, and soliciting an explanation. 

Yee. 83. In his humiliation, &c. — Lange says, " The sense which 
the authors of the Alexandrian version intended to convey in this 
verse (Isa. liii. 8), is, without doubt, the following: 'In his humilia- 
tion occasioned by his enemies, the judgment which impended over 
him was set aside by God; but with respect to his generation, i.e., his 
contemporaries, no one can adequately describe their iniquitj r , for 
they slew him.' " 

Vee. 34. Of whom speaketh the prophet this ? — Such was a very 
natural and important question, and shows that the eunuch was a 
thoughtful and interested reader. While at Jerusalem he may have 
sought light upon these passages without obtaining any that was 
satisfactory. But G-od now graciously meets him with a teacher 
who will lead him from the Old to the New Testament. 

Yee. 35. Then Philip opened his mouth. — He began by interpreting 
the prophetic passage referred to, and then gladly unfolded i ue prin- 
cipal facts and most important truths concerning Christ. He must 
have explained the conditions of salvation, repentance, faith, and 
baptism in the name of Christ. 

Yee. 86. -See, here is water. — The traveller, rejoicing in his new 
hopes, desires at once to receive the rite of baptism. Dr. Robinson 
supposes that he discovered the spot where this baptism was adminis- 
tered, on the route from Beit-Jibim to Gaza, on the most southern 
road from Jerusalem ; while others fix the place at Beth-zur, east of 
the spot designated by Robinson. 

Yee. 38. They went down both into the water. — The new convert, 
having professed his full and sincere faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, 
received at the hands of the evangelist the solemn rite of baptism. 
The mode of administering this baptism is not stated. As Hackett 
says, "The language, or, rather, the preposition in the Greek verb, 
may refer to the descent from the higher ground to the water." 
Alexander says, "That they went down into the water, can prove 
nothing as to its extent or depth." If the idea to be conveyed were 
that they went under the water, another preposition would have been 
used. From the Greek text, and our knowledge of this desert place 
derived from Robinson and others, the most natural inference is, that, 
seeing water at the side of the road, they went down, and, stepping 
into it, Philip sprinkled or poured water upon the eunuch. In the 
chapter in Isaiah (lii. 15) preceding the one that the eunuch was 
reading when Philip met him, he may shortly before have read 
the words, "So shall he sprinkle many nations" (comp. Heb. xiii. 
14, 19-21). 

Yee. 39. The Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip. — As they 
came up out of the water, Philip suddenly disappeared. As his 
mission was accomplished, he was miraculously removed by the 
Divine Spirit, as the prophet Elijah and others had previously been 
removed. 

The eunuch saw him no more. — But he had Christ with him, and 
he went on his way rejoicing. He pursued his journey on the road 
to Gaza, feeling as though an angel had met him, left a blessing from 
heaven, and suddenly departed. 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS, 1876. 155 

Yer. 40. Philip was found at Azotus, — or Ashdod, one of the five 
principal cities of the Philistines, and a seaport between Gaza and 
Joppa; according to some authorities, about twenty miles north-east 
from Gaza. Philip, not content with what he had already done for 
the Master, preached in all the cities through which he passed to 
Csesarea. His journey led him through Jabneh (Jamnia), Ekron, 
Eamah, and Joppa, until he reached Cagsarea, nearly thirty-five miles 
north of Joppa, on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. Here we find 
him many years afterwards in a permanent home (Acts xxi. 8, 9), 
with his four daughters, who had the gift of prophecy. He is visited 
by Paul, while on a journey to Jerusalem, who is entertained as a 
Christian guest. 



156 



EXPLANATORY NOTES. 



LESSON VI. —November 5. 

Paul's Conversion. — Acts ix. 1-18. 



1. And Saul, yet breathing out threat- 
enings and slaughter against the disci- 
ples of the Lord, went unto the high 
priest, 

2. And desired of him letters to Damas- 
cus to the synagogues, that if he found 
any of this way, whether they were men 
or women, he might bring them bound 
unto Jerusalem. 

3. And as he journeyed, he came near 
Damascus: and suddenly there shined 
round about him a light from heaven : 

4. And he fell to the earth, and heard 
a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why 
persecutest thou me ? 

5. And he said, Who art thou, Lord ? 
And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom 
thou persecutest : it is hard for thee to 
kick against the pricks. 

6. And he trembling and astonished 
said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to 
do ? And the Lord said unto him, 
Arise, and go into the city, and it 
shall be told thee what thou must do. 

7. And the men which journeyed with 
him stood speechless, hearing a voice, 
but seeing no man. 

8. And Saul arose from the earth ; and 
when his eyes were opened, he saw no 
man : but they led him by the hand, and 
brought him into Damascus. 

9. And he was three days without 
sight, and neither did eat nor drink. 

10. IT And there was a certain disciple 
at Damascus, named Ananias ; and to 
him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. 
And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord. 



11. And the Lord said unto him, Arise, 
and go into the street which is called 
Straight, and inquire in the hou- 
Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: 
for, behold, he praveth, 

12. And hath seen in a vision a man 
named Ananias coming in. and putting 
his hand on him, that he might receive 
his sight. 

13. Then Ananias answered, Lord, I 
have heard by many of this man, how 
much evd he hath done to thy saints at 
Jerusalem : 

14. And here he hath authority from 
the chief priests to bind all that call on 
thy name. 

15. But the Lord said unto him, Go 
thy way : for he is a chosen vessel unto 
me, to bear my name before the Gen- 
tiles, and kings, and the children of 
Israel : 

16. For I will show him how great 
things he must suffer for my name's 
sake. 

17. And Ananias went his way, and 
entered into the house ; and putting his 
hands on him said, Brother Saul, the 
Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto 
thee in the way as thou earnest, hath 
sent me, that thou mightest receive thy 
sight, and be rilled with the Holy Ghost. 

18. And immediately there fell from 
his eyes as it had been scales : and he 
received sight forthwith, and arose, and 
was baptized. 



Ver. 1. And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter. — 
From the time that Saul consented to the death of Stephen (Acts viii. 
1), to this period, his feeling of hostility to Christians appears to have 
grown in intensity, and at last assumed a most destructive and 
sanguinary character. He breathes an air impregnated with the very 
spirit of threatening and slaughter. When a passion like religious 
fanaticism gains possession of a soul, its natural tendency is to in- 
crease in strength until it gains a complete mastery over the feelings;, 
thoughts, and life. Saul lives and breathes to persecute the Church 
of Christ, and is now ready to enter upon a fresh mission of virulence 
and cruelty. 

Ver. 2. Desired of him letters to Damascus. — Heretofore Jerusa- 
lem had been the field of Saul's persecutions; but now he feels im- 
pelled to persecute the Christians in other regions, even beyond the 
Holy Land. He goes to the high priest, the president of the Sanhe- 
drim, who was the supreme officer of the highest ecclesiastical court 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS, 187G. 157 

in Judsea, and whose authority extended to distant cities, for letters 
of commission to do this work. The name of the high priest cannot 
be stated with certainty; but it was probably Theophilus, the brother 
ami successor of Jonathan, who succeeded Caiaphas. 

Damascus, the ancient capital of Syria, was known in the time of 
the patriarchs (Gen, xiv. 15), and was inhabited by a large number of 
Jews, as well a^ Greeks and Syrians. It lies north-east of Jerusalem, 
about one hundred and forty miles distant from it, and is remarkable 
for its "' beaut il'ul situat ion, and for being the centre of a vast trade and 
important religious influences." Jacobus says, " We came upon it after 
a hot journey on the desert plain which borders it from the south. 
From seeing here and there an oasis, one vast ocean of verdure broke 
upon our view in that surrounding wilderness; and soon we came upon 
the thick foliage, the bowers of trees, and the rich lawns which skirt the 
city. And soon in the gardens and vales we saw the secret of all this 
verdure, in the rushing stream of the Barrada, or Pharphar, which irri- 
gates the plain. The city is built chiefly of stone stuccoed; has two 
hundred and fifty thousand inhabitants, of whom seventy thousand 
are Christians of the Greek and Syrian churches. The mosques, with 
their glistening domes and spindling minarets, give a very pictur- 
esque view to the city. The English hotel is in the street which is 
yet called " Straight" (ver. 11). The bazaars are extensive, and sup- 
plied by caravans with the richest goods from Persia and India. The 
walls of the city are massive, but have been severely battered in the 
assaults of Ibrahim Pacha and others. Some of the dwellings of 
very wealthy Jews were visited by us. As it was the season of Pass- 
over, we found their inmates in their richest dress, ladies glistening 
with diamonds; the men reading their psalters." 

Saul has doubtless heard that there were a large number of Chris- 
tians in Damascus; and he seeks, and doubtless obtains, letters of au- 
thority to the officers of the synagogues, who would be ready to aid 
him in his exterminating work. Since the time of Pompey, 64 B.C., 
the city had come under the dominion of the Romans, and been 
attached to the province of Syria. 

Veb. 3. As he journeyed, suddenly there shined about him a light 
from heaven. — Saul had nearly completed his journey, and was near 
the beautiful city, when suddenly a light, as powerful and dazzling 
as a flash of lightning, blazed upon him, and cast him to the ground. 
It came upon him at midday, and is described by himself as " above 
the brightness of the sun" (Acts xxvi. 13). 

Ver. 4. He fell to the earth, and heard a voice. — Overcome with 
terror, he was prostrated by the sudden heavenly appearance. Others 
have been brought to the earth by the overpowering influence of 
manifestations of the divine glory. Thus it was with Daniel (see 
Dan. viii. 17, and x. 8), with Ezekiel (see Ezek. i. 28), and with St. 
John (see Rev. i. 17). It is apparent from Acts ix. 17, 27, as well as 
from Saul's own declaration (see 1 Cor. ix. 1, xv. 8), that on this occa- 
sion he saw Jesus, as well as heard his voice, and conversed with him. 

Why persecutest thou me ? — He does not say, Why persecutest thou 
my church, or my disciples ? but, Why persecutest thou me ? Saul had 
no idea, that, in persecuting what he deemed fanatical sectaries and 
apostates from Jewish traditions, he was really persecuting the Lord 
Jesus Christ. 



158 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 

Ver. 5. And he said, Wlio art thou. Lord? — It appears from this 
question that he did not at first recognize Jesus, although, the moment 
the appeal was made to his conscience, the thought of his divine 
presence may have dawned upon him. 

I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. — The trials, the sufferings, of his 
disciples are his. They cannot he separated from him : so that, when 
they are assailed, he is afflicted. " This oneness of Christ with 
Christians, the communion of life and intimate connection existing 
between the Lord and believers, — the Church of Christ one body, and 
the Lord its head, — these lofty truths that belong to our faith, which 
the mind of the Apostle Paul grasped with more power and distinct- 
ness, and which he developed in his discourses and writings with 
even more fulness, than others have done, are already presented in 
their general features, or in a germinal state, in the appearance of 
Jesus to Saul in the vicinity of Damascus." — Lange. 

It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. — This was a proverbial 
expression in common use among the Greeks and Romans. The 
word translated "pricks" signifies goads, or sharp iron points, at- 
tached to rods used in driving oxen. A stubborn or ill-natured ox, 
when urged on by the driver, would often kick against the iron points, 
and thus hurt himself without injuring the driver. The expres- 
sion, as applied to Saul, simply means that it is utterly futile for him 
to oppose the progress of Christianity; that he is only injuring him- 
self, and bringing suffering upon his own person. 

Ver. 6. Lord, what wilt thou have me to do ? — Trembling with 
fear and guilt, astonished to find him whom he supposed to be an 
impostor the true Messiah, he yields at once. He yields up his 
whole being to Christ. That simple inquiry is the germ of a con- 
secrated life, and a Christian work, upon which millions of Christ's 
disciples look to-day with the warmest gratitude and admiration. 
It is the fountain of mighty streams of influence that will flow on 
forever. 

Arise, and go into the city. — Christ, having brought Saul to himself, 
now directs his steps, as he will all who will commit their ways unto 
him. The converted man is commanded to go into the city, and there 
await information from an unknown source as to the Lord's will 
concerning him. 

Ver. 7. The men which journeyed icith him stood speechless. — 
These were his attendants, probably commissioned by the high priest 
to aid Paul in the arrest, and delivery at Jerusalem, of the Damascene 
Christians. In chap. xxvi. 14, it is said that they fell to the ground, 
and in chap. xxii. 9, that "they heard not the voice of him that 
spoke." By the expression in this narrative, they " stood speechless," 
is meant they were speechless, without any intended reference to their 
posture. They heard the sound of a voice, but did not understand 
w r hat was spoken, as did Saul. A parallel case in the life of Christ is 
found in John xii. 28, 29. Saul also saw Jesus, wdiile his attendants 
did not see him. 

Vers. 8, 9. Wlien his eyes were opened, he saw no man. — The ex- 
cessive brightness had temporarily deprived him of his sight ; and, 
though he could open his eyes, he saw nothing. Blind and helpless 
he was led into Damascus. He expected to enter the city strong 
with the commission from the high priest at Jerusalem. He enters 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS, 1870. 159 

feeble in himself, but with another commission from the High Priest 
in the New Jerusalem. 

His blindness continues for three days ; and he spends the time in 
fasting, religious meditation, and prayer. These were the most im- 
portant days of his whole life, the seed-days of great future harvests. 
They gave him the opportunity of being alone with his own soul and 
his God. He could meditate upon the wonderful love and mercy of 
Jesus in appearing in his divine power to save, rather than to destroy, 
his persecutor. Thus the blindness sent upon him was not a punish- 
ment, but a gift of divine grace. 

Vee. 10. There was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias. 
— A Christian resident at Damascus, of whom we only know that he 
was '< a devout man according to the law, having a good report of all 
the Jews which dwelt there" (Acts xxii. 12). There is no evidence 
that he was personally acquainted with Saul until the interview here 
brought about by a vision from the Lord. 

Arise, and go into the street called Straight. — This street called 
Straight is still well known in Damascus. It runs through the city 
in a direct line from east to west, and is about three miles long. It is 
the best and most frequented street in Damascus, and leads to the 
great bazaars. The site of the house of Judas, and the house of Ana- 
nias, in a narrow lane, some two hundred yards to the right of the 
street called Straight, are still pointed out to travellers. But the 
traditions respecting them are hardly reliable. 

For, behold, heprayeth. — This is the reason given by the Lord for 
selecting this time for the visit. Saul, being engaged in earnest prayer, 
needed answers to his petitions, and was in a state of mind to receive 
spiritual blessings. 

Ver. 12. Hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias. — As 
Ananias was supernaturally commissioned to go to Saul, in a similar 
manner Saul was led to expect him. Thus God controls human 
hearts, and uses human instrumentalities to accomplish his divine 
purposes. 

Vers. 13, 14. Then Ananias ansviered, Lord. — The tidings of 
Saul's persecutions at Jerusalem had reached the Christians at Da- 
mascus, and they naturally stood in fear of him. Besides, they knew 
that he had come to Damascus with authority to bind all who called 
upon the name of Jesus. Those who had recently fled from Jerusa- 
lem to escape his cruelty may have brought the information. 

Ver. 15. But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way. — There is buL 
one course for him to take, and that is to " go," leaving the conse- 
quences with the Master. But the Lord calms his troubled mind by 
assuring him that Saul will no longer injure the Church, but has been 
selected as a chosen vessel to bear his name, especially to the Gentile 
world and to kings, and also to the children of Israel. He calls him- 
self an apostle to the Gentiles (see Bom. xi. 13), and refers to his 
work among the heathen as that to which he was called (Gal. i. 
15-17). 

Ver. 16. 1 will show him how great things he must suffer. — He will 
make known to him the extraordinary trials and difficulties that are 
before him in the Christian work to which he is called. He does not 
say, I will show him how great things he must do, but, what great 
sufferings are before him, for his "name's sake." Special rewards 



160 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 

are promised to those who endure afflictions for Christ's sake. Their 
faith, courage, and power are increased; and the affliction, that is 
seemingly "for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and 
eternal weight of glory " (2 Cor. iv. 17). It is probable that no amount 
of prosperity and success will carry a redeemed soul to such heights 
in the heavenly kingdom, as patient suffering for Christ's sake. The 
crown of martyrdom glistens with most precious gems. 

Ver. 17. Putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul. — Ananias 
meets him with the gentleness and affection of a brother Christian. 
He informs him that the Lord, the same Je>us who had appeared to 
him in the way, had sent him ; thus furnishing another proof of a 
risen and living Saviour. He is sent for two objects : 1st, that Paul 
might receive his sight ; 2d, that he might be filled with the Holy 
Ghost. It is worthy of remark, that St. Paul does not receive his 
apostleship from the other apostles, but directly from God, through 
a private Christian. The miraculous gifts with which he was en- 
dowed came not, as he says himself, from man, nor from the laying- 
on of hands, but from the Spirit of God (see Gal. xi. 12, 15-19). In 
the use of instruments for the accomplishment of his divine purposes, 
God confines himself to no order or class in the Church. 

Vek. IS. Immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales. 
— The cure, being thus instantaneous, shows that it was miraculous. 
By scales here, we do not understand a scaly substance ; but he ex- 
perienced a sensation as if something resembling scales fell from his 
eyes. This immediately followed the laying-on of hands by Ananias. 
His sight was at once restored; and he "arose and was baptized." 
Following the example of the early converts, he at once made a public 
profession of his faith. 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS, 1876. 



161 



LESSON VII. — November 12. 



Saul's Early Ministry. — Acts ix. 19-30. 



19. And when he had received meat, 
he was strengthened. Then was Saul 
certain days with the disciples which 
were at Damascus. 

20 And straightway he preached 
Christ in the synagogue, that he is the 
Son of God. 

21. But all that heard him were 
amazed, and said, Is not this he that 
destroyed them which called on this 
name in Jerusalem, and came hither for 
that intent, that he might bring them 
hound unto the chief priests? 

22. But Said increased the more in 
strength, and confounded the Jews 
which dwelt at Damascus, proving that 
thi? is very Christ. 

23. II And after that many days were 
fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill 
him: 

24. But their laying wait was known 
of Saul : and they watched the gates day 
and night to kill him. 



25. Then the disciples took him by 
night, and let him down by the wall in a 
basket. 

26. And when Said was come to Jeru- 
salem, he essayed to join himself to the 
disciples; but they were all afraid of 
him, and believed not that he was a dis- 
ciple. 

27. But Barnabas took him, and 
brought him to the apostles, and de- 
clared unto them how he had seen the 
Lord in the way, and that he bad spoken 
to him, and how he had preached boldly 
at Damascus in the name of Jesus. 

28. And he was with them coming in 
and going out at Jerusalem. 

29. And he spake boldly in the name 
of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against 
the Grecians: but they went about to 
slay him. 

30. Which when the brethren knew, 
they brought him down to Csesarea, and 
sent him forth to Tarsus. 



Ver. 19. TJien was Saul certain days with the disciples. — Having 
been ingrafted in the Church of Christ by baptism, he now enjoys 
the fellowship of the saints ; and his new life is invigorated and 
refreshed by communion with kindred spirits. He soon takes a 
journey to Arabia, and spends three years in Damascus and Arabia, 
previous to going to Jerusalem (see Gal. i. 17, 18). 

Ver. 20. And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues. — 
After spending a few days with the Christians of Damascus, Saul 
went to the synagogues, and preached, literally heralded, Christ as the 
Son of God, the Messiah of the Old Testament, and the Eedeemer of 
the world. Instead of breathing out threatening and slaughter, he 
breathes out the spirit of mercy and love. Instead of opposing the 
kingdom of Christ, he gives all the ardor of his nature, and the forces 
of his being, to its establishment and extension. 

Yer. 21. All that heard him were amazed. — Well they might be 
at the sudden and wonderful change that had taken place in the 
man ; at hearing Christ and him crucified proclaimed by the noted 
persecutor, who had come there to seize the Christians, and bring them 
bound unto the chief priests. 

Yer. 22. Saul increased. — His natural and spiritual powers were 
rapidly developed. He increased in zeal and ability, in skill to meet 
and confound the Jews, and in the selection and presentation of the 
most powerful arguments in support of Christianity. The same ele- 
ments of character and labor that marked the whole of his brilliant 
and successful career, burst forth at the very beginning of his work. 

Yer. 23. The Jews took counsel to kill him. — At first they looked 
upon him with astonishment ; now they view him with hatred. This 



162 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 

persecution arose after many days, probably after bis return from 
Arabia. As tbe Jews could not refute bis arguments, tbey propose 
to destroy tbe preacher, and thus silence bim forever. 

Vers. 24, 25. But . . . the disciples took him by night. — Fortu- 
nately, Saul discovered tbe plot tbat bad been formed to take bis life, 
and tbat tbe gates of tbe city were watched to prevent his escape. By 
means of a large basket, probably such an one as is used at the East 
for carrying loads, he was lowered from a projecting window, or the 
overhanging portion of a house ; and tbus be escaped from the city. 
See his own account (2 Cor. xi. 32, 33). 

Ver. 26. IWien Saul was come to Jerusalem. — See Paul's own 
condensed account of tbis first visit to Jerusalem, and tbe events tbat 
preceded it, in Gal. i. 11-18. They were all afraid of him. They 
doubted as to the sincerity of bis professions, and believed not that he 
was a disciple. His horrible persecutions were still fresh in tbeir mem- 
ory ; and tbe remembrance colud not be easily wiped out. 

Ters. 27, 28. Barnabas took him. — Barnabas was highly esteemed 
by tbe disciples (see chap. iv. 36, xi. 22), and was probably personally 
acquainted with. Saul, as botb were Hellenists, and bad lived only a 
few bours' sail from eacb other. Barnabas was a native of Cyprus 
(cbap. iv. 36), and Saul of Cilicia (chap. xxi. 39). Barnabas took 
Paul, as it were, by tbe band, and conducted bim to tbe apostles, and 
related to them the circumstances of bis miraculous conversion, and 
his subsequent faithful Christian labors. And be was witb tbem, 
on terms of familiarity and equality, and was treated as a Christian 
brother. The time be tbus spent, lie tells us, was fifteen davs (Gal. 
i. 18). 

Vee. 29. He spake boldly, — and disputed against tbe Grecians. It 
was natural tbat be sbould turn bis attention first to those Jews who, 
on account of tbeir birtb in beatben countries, were nearly allied to 
bim, since be was himself an Hellenist, a native of Tarsus in Cilicia. 
But tbey resisted bis arguments and appeals, and resorted to tbe 
usual method, under such circumstances, of silencing him, namely, 
they went about to slay him. 

Ver. 30. Wliich when the brethren knew. — By this time the suspi- 
cions of the disciples had all vanished, seeing the marvellous boldness 
and ability of tbe new convert ; and they are now brethren warmly 
attached to Saul. Tbey brought him down to Csesarea on the coast, 
and sent him to Tarsus, where he might be safe, and do good among 
the inhabitants of his native city. 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS, 1876. 



163 



LESSON VIII. — November 19. 



DOECAS RESTORED TO LlFE. — ACTS ix. 31-43. 



31. Then had the churches rest through- 
out all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, 
and were edified; and walking in the 
fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of 
the Holy Ghost, were multiplied. 

32. IT 'And it came to pass, as Peter 
passed throughout all quarte, s, he came 
down also to the saints which dwelt at 
Lydda. 

33. And there he found a certain man 
named iEneas, which had kept his bed 
eight years, and was sick of the palsy. 

34. And Peter said unto him, iEneas, 
Jesus Christ maketh tbee whole : arise, 
and make thy bed. And he arose im- 
mediately. 

35. And all that dwelt at Lydda and 
Saron saw him, and turned to the Lord. 

36. ff Now there was at Joppa a certain 
disciple named Tabitha, which by inter- 
pretation is called Dorcas: this woman 
was full of good works and alms-deeds 
which she did. 

37. And it came to pass in those days, 
that she was sick, and died : whom when 
they had washed, they laid her in an 
upper chamber. 



38. And forasmuch as Lydda was nigh 
to Joppa, and the disciples had heard 
that Peter was there, they sent unto him 
two men. desiring him that he would not 
delay to come to them. 

39. Then Peter arose and went with 
them. When he was come, they brought 
him into the upper chamber ; and all the 
widows stood by him weeping, and show- 
ing the coats arid garments which Dorcas 
made, while she was with them. 

40. But Peter put them all forth, and 
kneeled down, and prayed ; and turning 
him to the body said, Tabitha, arise. 
And she opened her eyes : and when she 
saw Peter, she sat up. 

41. And he gave her his hand, and 
lifted her up, and when he had called 
the saints and widows, presented her 
alive. 

42. And it was known throughout all 
Joppa ; and many believed in the Lord. 

43. And it came to pass, that he tarried 
many days in Joppa with one Simon a 
tanner. 



Yer. 31. Tlien had the churches rest. — This was in the year A.D. 
40, when Christian congregations are spoken of as existing in the 
three provinces of Palestine; namely, Judaea, Galilee, and Samaria. 
Thus rapidly, in spite of persecution and the repeated decrees of the 
Sanhedrim, had the gospel spread. And the churches had rest, and 
were edified (literally, built up in the faith). The members walked 
together in Christian unity, and in the fear of the Lord. They enjoyed 
the presence and comfort of the Holy Ghost, and increased in num- 
bers, as well as in graces. An harmonious church, under the law of 
brotherly love, will naturally attract others ; while a distracted church 
will repel them. 

Yer. 32. And it came to pass, as Peter passed through all quarters. 
— Luke, leaving for the time the history of Saul, turns to giving a 
short summary of Peter's labors in his apostolic tour among the 
churches outside of Jerusalem. In his visitations, he comes to the 
saints at Lydda, a town in the neighborhood of Joppa, and about a 
day's journey from Jerusalem. 

Yers. 33, 34. He found a man named JEneas. — This is a Greek 
name ; and we infer that the man was an Hellenist ; and some think that 
he was a Christian. He seems to have known the Messiah, whom Peter 
said to him maketh thee whole. Peter did not say, " Jesus Christ will, 
on certain conditions, make you whole." But he brings to him the 
joyful message that he is cured, and hence bids him, "Arise, and 
make thy bed." In prompt obedience to the gracious command, the 



164 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 

man immediately arose. The blessed Jesus always gives strength to 
obey his commands. It is easy to do the most difficult thing for 
Christ; for he always gives us his help. 

Yer. 35. And all that dwelt at Lydda and Saron. — That is, a great 
number of the inhabitants of these places were induced, by the sud- 
den and miraculous restoration of one who had been so long paralyzed, 
to turn to the Lord. Saron is the same as Sharon in the Old Testa- 
ment. It was a very fertile plain, extending from Caesarea to Joppa; 
the beauty and richness of which made it celebrated in Hebrew poetry. 
(See Song of Solomon i. 1 ; Isa. xxxv. 1, 2. ) 

Yer. 36. Now there was at Joppa. — This was a very ancient sea- 
port on the Mediterranean, about forty miles from Jerusalem. Here 
were landed the immense preparations for Solomon's temple, received 
from a distance (2 Chron. ii. 16); and thence Jonah took his passage 
to Tarshish (Jonah i. 3). 

A certain disciple named Tahitha. — This was her Aramaic name, 
corresponding with Dorcas, the Greek name ; both signifying ''gazelle." 
The gazelle, distinguished for its slender and beautiful form and 
graceful movements, is frequently introduced by Oriental writers as 
an image of female loveliness. This Christian woman abounded in 
good works, and in generous gifts to the poor. 

Yer. 37. She ivas sick, and died. — However much she had been 
esteemed during her life, it was after her death that the Church real- 
ized what a treasure they had lost. The last rites were performed 
with peculiar affection. It was customary to wash the body before 
embalming. The upper room, either upon or connected with the 
roof of the house, where she was laid, was usually devoted to reli- 
gious purposes. 

Yer. 38. As Lydda was nigh to Joppa. — It was about six miles 
from Joppa. As no apostle had yet raised the dead, it showed great 
faith on the part of these Christians to send for Peter. 

Yer. 39. Then Peter arose and ivent. — Arriving at the upper 
chamber, he found the widows, upon whom the deceased had con- 
ferred her gifts, weeping, and exhibiting the garments Dorcas had 
made. 

Yer. 40. Peter put them all forth, — and was left alone with God. 
Kneeling down, he offered a fervent prayer to heaven. Being assured 
what the will of God was, he turned to the body, and said, Tabitha, 
arise. This was said with faith in the divine power, which alone 
could raise the dead. And she opened her eyes ; and when she saw 
Peter, she sat up. All these minute particulars are given of the case, 
just as a truthful eye-witness would describe the scene. 

Yers. 41, 42. And he gave her his hand. — As was natural, he 
offered to assist her to rise up, in the full exercise of her physical 
powers. To the sorrowing friends he presents her alive. This mira- 
cle, becoming generally known in Joppa, leads many to believe in the 
Lord, by the power of whose name the dead are brought to life. 

Yer. 43. He tarried many days in Joppa with one Simon a tanner. 
— The most distinguished man in Joppa, whose fame fills the whole 
city, and for whose accommodation many would gladly open their 
doors, chooses to abide with a humble countryman, whose trade is 
regarded as most despicable. The business referred to was that of 
preparing skins for various purposes ; and was held in dishonor by the 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS, 1876. 165 

Jews, because it brought one in contact with dead animals. But 
there is no trade so mean in the sight of the world that may not be 
made honorable by the exercise of principles, on the part of the trades- 
man, that are acceptable to G-od. The house of Simon the tanner, 
however despised by men, was known in heaven (chap. x. 6), and re- 
garded with interest by the angels of God. 



166 



EXPLANATORY NOTES. 



LESSOX IX. — Xoyeubee '26. 



Petee's Vision. — Acts x. 1-20. 



1. There was a certain man in Ca?sarea 
called Cornelius, a centurion of the band 
called the Italian band, 

2. A devout man. and one that feared 
God vrith all his house, which gave niuch 
alms to the people, and prayed to God 
alway. 

3. He saw in a vision evidently, about 
the ninth hour of the day. an angel of 
God coming in to him , and saying unto 
him.. Cornelius. 

1. And when he looked on him. he 
was afraid, and said. What is it. Lord? 
And he said unto him. Thy prayers and 
thine alms are come up for a memorial 
before God. 

5. And now send men to Joppa, and 
call for one Simon, whose surname is 
Peter : 

6. He lodgeth with one Simon a tan- 
ner, whose house is by the sea side : he 
shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do. 

7. And when the angel which spake 
unto Cornelius was departed, he called 
two of his household servants, and a 
devout soldier of them that waited on 
him continually ; 

B. And when he had declared all these 
things unto them, he sent them to 
Joppa. 

9. 1T On the morrow, as they went on 
their journey, and drew nigh unto the 
city, Peter went up upon the housetop 
to pray about the sixth hour : 

10. And he became very hungry, and 



woidd have eaten : but while they made 
ready, he fell into a trance, 

11. And saw heaven opened, and a 
certain vessel descending unto him. as it 
had been a great sheet "knit at the four 
corners, and let down to the earth : 

12. Wherein were all manner of four- 
footed beasts of the earth, and wild 
beasts, and creeping things, and fowls 
of the air. 

13. And there came a voice to him, 
Pise. Peter: kill, and eat. 

14. But Peter said. [Not so. Lord; for 
I have never eaten any thing that is com- 
mon or unclean. 

15. And the voice spake unto him 
again the second time. What God hath 
cleansed, that call not thou common. 

16. This was done thrice : and the ves- 
sel was received up again into heaven. 

17. ^s ow while Peter doubted in him- 
self what this vision which he had seen 
should mean, behold, the men which 

sent from Cornelius had made 
inquiry for Simon's house, and stood 
before" the gate. 

IS. And "called, and asked whether 
Simon, which was surnamed Peter, were 
lodged there. 

19. 1T While Peter thought on the vis- 
ion, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, 
three men seek thee. 

28. Arise therefore, and get thee down, 
and go with them, doubting nothing: 
for I have sent them. 



Up to this time, the gospel had been preached successively to the 
Jews and proselytes, the Samaritan and the Ethiopian. Xow it is to 
he carried to the Gentiles resident in Judaea. Peter, who has con- 
quered his prejudices and Jewish scruples, is called of God to pre- 
pare a highway for the great Apostle to the Gentiles. The rite of 
circumcision is no longer needed as an entrance into the kingdom of 
God. The wider door of grace is thrown open ; and whosoever will, 
Jew or Gentile, may come. 

Tee. 1. There was a certain man in Ccesarea. — ''This city on the 
coast was at this time the political capital of Palestine, the seat of the 
Eonian procurators, though the government of Judaea was transferred 
to Hercd Agrippa. A.D. 41. v Cornelius, a Roman by birth and edu- 
cation, here commanded the Italian band of soldiers, so called to dis- 
tinguish it from the troops that had been levied in Palestine or Syria. 
It consisted of native Romans, or at least Italians, and formed the 
nucleus of the garrison. A centurion means the commander of a 
hundred men. 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS, 187G. 167 

Ver. 2. A devout man. — In this verse Cornelius is described as a 
pious man, fearing G-od with all his family, and habitually perform- 
ing acts of charity to the people ; that is, the people of Israel. The 
same word designates the Israelites in ver. 42, and chap. xxvi. 17, 23. 
He was also a man of prayer, having, doubtless, regular seasons for 
devotion. He was like the centurion of Capernaum, who also loved 
Israel, and out of his own means built a synagogue for them (Luke 
vii. 2-5). The whole narrative leads us to conclude, that Cornelius, 
though not strictly a proselyte, belonged to a class of his contempora- 
ries who, dissatisfied with the Pagan religion that they had inherited 
from their fathers, had turned to the faith of Israel, and to the wor- 
ship of the one true God. 

Ver. 3. He saw a vision, or an apparition. — An angel is seen com- 
ing to him, about the ninth hour (three, p. m.), the third hour of prayer, 
which the devout man may, at that moment, have been observing. 
The occasion is one of such great importance, — the reception of a Gen- 
tile to the Church, and thus opening the door to the Gentile world, — 
that an angel of God is commissioned to bear a message to Cornelius. 
The angel is not appointed to be the agent of his conversion by pro- 
claiming to him the gospel, but to convey the command of God that 
Peter should be called. 

Yees. 4-6. When he looked upon him, he was afraid. — The unus- 
ual and dazzling form before him agitates and alarms him. In reply 
to his respectful question, the angel informs him that his prayers and 
alms are always remembered before God; that is, "they have 
ascended to heaven like the smoke of the sacrifices, so that they 
remind God of thee" (comp. Mai. hi. 16; N"eh. xiii. 14, 31). He then 
commands Cornelius to send for Peter, designating the man at whose 
house the apostle was a guest. 

Yees. 7, 8. He called two of his servants. — The centurion 
promptly obeys. He summons two of his household servants, and a 
devout soldier, one of his personal attendants; and, having freely 
communicated to them the extraordinary appearance he had seen, 
sends them, with the necessary instructions, to Joppa. 

Vers. 9, 10. On the morrow. — The distance between Caesarea and 
Joppa was about thirty-five miles. From the account given, the mes- 
sengers of Cornelius probably left for Joppa soon after the appearance 
of the angel, which was at three, p. m. Leaving that evening, they were 
doubtless approaching Joppa about noon; the hour, twelve o'clock, 
when Peter went to the housetop to pray. We may easily suppose 
that Peter, at this hour, should experience hunger. But, while the 
family of Simon were preparing food, he fell into a trance; literally, 
an ecstasy fell upon him. In this case it was a supernatural absorp- 
tion of mind, with the perception of material things suspended, and 
the soul susceptible only to divine communications (see Acts xxii. 
17 ; 2 Cor. xii. 2). 

Vers. 11, 12. And saw heaven opened. — While Peter was in this 
trance, he sees heaven opened, and a vessel in the form of a great 
sheet descending, which was tied at the four corners, and thus let 
down to the earth. Looking into it, Peter sees all manner of beasts, 
creeping things, and birds. Animals clean and unclean are here pro- 
miscuously brought together. 

Vers. 13, 14. Rise, Peter, kill, and eat, and thus satisfy your hun- 



168 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 

ger. Peter said, Not so, Lord. — He revolts at the idea as contrary to 
all his religious sentiments and practice (see Lev. xi. 4, 13, 23; Deut. 
xiv. 3-8). 

Ver. 15. What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. — 
"Although the distinction which God had made in the ceremonial 
law, between things clean and unclean, has been abolished, so that in 
the new covenant all things are pure to the pure (Tit. i. 15), the dis- 
tinction which God has made in the moral law, between things clean 
and unclean, nevertheless remains in force." 

Vers. 17-20. While Peter doubted in himself. — While Peter is 
in a state of perplexity, and is endeavoring to understand the mean- 
ing of the vision, the messengers from Cornelius arrive, and are 
standing at the gate of Simon's house, inquiring whether Peter 
lodged there. How clearly we see God's hand in every stage and 
movement of this interesting and important scene ! While the three 
messengers are on their way to Joppa, God orders all the circum- 
stances necessary to their reception, and also prepares Peter's mind 
for their coming. As in the case of Saul and Ananias, each receives 
a vision, that prepares one for the other (see Acts ix. 10-12). 

Peter, following the directions of the Spirit, goes down to meet the 
men. They explain the object of their visit, and are invited in, and 
hospitably entertained. On the morrow Peter went with them to 
Joppa, and certain brethren accompanied him (vers. 22, 23). From 
the house of Simon the tanner, a man engaged in an "unclean 
trade," as viewed by the Jews, the first missionaries to the Gentiles 
go forth, to bear the gospel of the Son of God, that will purify, exalt, 
and bless all, of every tribe and nation, who will receive it to their 
hearts. 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS, 1876. 



169 



LESSON X.— December 3. 



The Gentiles Received. — Acts x. 34-48. 



34. IT Then Peter opened his mouth. 
and said. Of a truth I perceive that God 
is no respecter of persons ; 

35. But in every nation he that f eareth 
him. and workeih righteousness, is ac- 
cepted with him. 

36. The word which God sent unto the 
children of Israel, preaching peace by 
Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all) : 

37. That word, / sa>/, ye know, which 
was published throughout all Judaea, and 
began from Galilee, after the baptism 
which John preached ; 

38. How God anointed Jesus of Naza- 
reth with the Holy Ghost and with 
power: who went about doing good, and 
healing all- that were oppressed of the 
dcvd ; for God was with him. 

39. And we are witnesses of all things 
which he did both in the land of the 
Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they 
slew and hanged on a tree : 

40. Him God raised up the third day, 
and showed him openly ; 

41. Not to all the people, but unto 
witnesses chosen before of God. even to 
us, who did eat and drink with him after 
he rose from the dead. 



42. And he commanded us to preach 
unto the people, and to testify that it is 
he which was ordained of God to be the 
Judge of quick and dead. 

43. To him give all the prophets wit- 
ness, that through his name whosoevei 
believeth in him shall receive remission 
of sins. 

44. If While Peter yet spake these 
words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them 
which heard the word. 

43. And they of the circumcision 
which believed were astonished, as many 
as came with Peter, because that on the 
Gentiles also was poured out the gift of 
the Holy Ghost. 

46. For they heard them speak with 
tongues, and magnify God. Then an- 
swered Peter, 

47. Can any man forbid water, that 
these should not be baptized, which 
have received the Holy Ghost as well as 
we? 

48. And he commanded them to be 
baptized in the name of the Lord. 
Then prayed they him to tarry certain 
days. 



In the last lesson "we left the missionaries starting from Joppa. 
After passing one night on the road, they arrive the next day at 
Caesarea, and find Cornelius and his kinsmen and friends, whom he 
has invited to share in the coming blessings, waiting to receive them 
(ver. 24). 

As Peter enters the house, Cornelius, regarding him as a superhu- 
man being, and not influenced by mere courtesy, falls down and wor- 
ships him. Peter very properly resists such homage (vers. 25, 26). 
The pope, who claims to be the successor of St. Peter, permits such 
adoration of himself, and thus profanely puts himself in the place of 
God. See 2 Thess. ii. 3, 4. 

After mutual explanations (vers. 27-33) Cornelius prepares for 
Peters address by the following pious words : " Xow therefore are we 
all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded 
thee of God" (ver. 33). 

Vees. 34, 35. Then Peter opened hismouth. — Tbis expression indi- 
cates that important truths are about to be announced. The first is 
the deep conviction on the apostle's mind, that God is no respecter of 
persons, but that all men, without regard to national distinctions, may 
be received into the kingdom of God, provided they fear him and 
obey his commands. 

Yees. 36, 37. That word ye know. — Peter takes it for granted that 
Cornelius and his friends have some knowledge of Christ, and of the 



170 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 

elementary principles of Christian faith. No reference is here made 
to the prayers or alms of the centurion. They are swallowed up in 
the deep ocean of Christ's righteousness. The goodness of this 
devout man is for the time lost sight of, in the glory that streams over 
all nations from the Son of God. 

Yee. 38. Jesus of Nazareth. — This is the name at first pronounced 
in derision, that has risen, and is now above every name. It is a 
name that brings peace to the soul, that carries with it infinite power 
and infinite love. 

Vers. 39-41. And we are witnesses. — The apostles were raised up, 
qualified, and sent forth to be witnesses of all the works of Christ, and 
of the great fact of his resurrection from the dead. Their testimony 
was abundantly confirmed by signs and wonders, and gifts of the Holy 
Spirit (Heb. ii. 4). They present the evidences of the resurrection, 
furnished not to the outside world of unbelievers, but only to his 
chosen disciples (Matt. xxi. 44; Luke xxiv. 43; John xxi. 12-17). 

Yek. 42. He commanded us to preach. — See Matt, xxviii. 19, 20. 
The apostle Peter doubtless now begins to see and feel the full force 
of the Eedeemer's last commission, to "go and teach all nations." 
He also feels under solemn obligations to testify that Christ is he 
which was ordained of God to he the Judge of the living and the dead. 
The solemn fact of a judgment to which we are all hastening is 
presented to show the dignity and power of the Judge who will ren- 
der to every man according to his deeds. 

Yek. 43. To him give all the prophets witness. — The Old Testa- 
ment is full of types, symbols, ceremonial services, and direct predic- 
tions, relating to the coming Messiah as the Saviour of sinners. They 
all point to the fact that through his name whosoever believeth shall 
be saved. With these predictions of the prophets of Israel, Peter 
assumed that his hearers were somewhat acquainted. 

Yeks. 44, 45. While Peter yet spake these words, — and before he 
had concluded his discourse, — the Holy Spiritfell on all them that heard 
the word. — We do not infer that there was any visible manifestation 
of the descent of the Spirit, though the effects were most marked 
and convincing. The Jews who had come with Peter, and who clung 
to the idea that the path to the Christian Church was through Juda- 
ism by circumcision, were astonished to find that on the GerJiles edso 
was poured out the gift of the Holy Spirit. 

Yek. 46. For they heard them speak with tongues. — This was proof 
that could not be resisted. With the gift of tongues they magnified 
and praised God for his grace. Thus was the wall of separation 
between Jews and Gentiles broken down, and now the mighty river of 
salvation would flow to all nations. 

Yeks. 47, 48. Can any man forbid water? — If these men have 
received the Holy Ghost, as well as we, who, asks Peter, can refuse 
water, so that they shall not be baptized ? This is the first instance 
in which the reception of the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit pre- 
ceded baptism ; and its design was to remove all hesitation on the 
part of the Juda3an Christians respecting the reception of believing 
Pagans, and the propriety of immediately administering baptism to 
them. Peter accordingly gives directions that they " be baptized in 
the name of the Lord." He did not himself administer the rite, but 
assigned the duty to some one of the Christians in the company. 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS, 1876. 171 

One reason may have been to commit these brethren in the matter, 
for their future guidance. 

Peter, being urged to tarry, remained certain days, and even sat at 
the table with the uncircumcised (see ch. xi. 3). During this visit, he 
doubtless gave to the new converts further instructions respecting the 
Christian faith and life. 



172 



EXPLANATORY NOTES. 



LESSON XI. —December 10. 



Spread of the Gospel. — Acts xi. 19-30. 



19. IT Now they which were scattered 
abroad upon the persecution that arose 
about Stephen travelled as far as Phe- 
nice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preach- 
ing the word to none but unto the Jews 
only. 

20. And some of them were men of 
Cyprus and Cyrene, which, when they 
were come to' Antioch, spake unto the 
Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus. 

21. And the hand of the Lord was 
with them : and a great number believed, 
and turned unto the Lord. 

22. IF Then tidings of these things 
came unto the ears of the church which 
was in Jerusalem: and they sent forth 
Barnabas, that he should go as far as 
Antioch. 

23. Who, when he came, and had seen 
the grace of God. was glad, and exhorted 
them all. that with purpose of heart they 
would cleave unto the Lord. 

21. For he was a good man, and full of 
the Holy Ghost and of faith: and much 
people was added unto the Lord. 



25. Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, 
for to seek Saul : 

26. And when he had found him, he 
brought him unto Antioch. And it 
came to pass, that a whole year they 
assembled themselves with the chinch, 
and taught much people. And the dis- 
ciples were called Christians first in 
Antioch. 

27. IT And in these days came prophets 
from Jerusalem unto Antioch. 

28 And there stood up one of them 
named Agabus, and signified by the 
Spirit that there should be great dearth 
throughout all the world: which came 
to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar. 

29. Then the disciples, eveiy man ac- 
cording to his ability, determined to 
send relief unto the brethren which 
dwelt in Judaea : 

30. Which also they did, and sent it to 
the elders by the hands of Barnabas and 
Saul. 



The conversion and baptism of Cornelius soon became widely 
known, and created a sensation in the Chnrcli. On Peter's return to 
Jerusalem, the Jews, who clung to the rite of circumcision, contended 
with him, and opposed the course he had pursued. It is said by one of 
the fathers, that Cerinthus, who was afterwards a prominent heretic 
in Asia Minor, and against whose denial of Christ's divinity John is 
said by some to have written his Gospel, was active in exciting oppo- 
sition against Peter. It is clear, that, in the early Church, Peter was 
not regarded as supreme and infallible. One of the most serious 
charges brought against him was, that, contrary to Jewish usage, he 
had placed himself on a social equality with the Gentiles by eating 
with them. He vindicates his conduct by reciting to them the partic- 
ulars of the case, and showing the divine authority under which he 
acted. Facts, in his estimation, are the best arguments. They are 
convinced by his statement and appeal. " What was I," said he, 
"that I could withstand God?" When they heard these things, 
they held their peace, and glorified God (vers. 1-18). 

Yer. 19. Novo when they were scattered abroad. — Luke now 
resumes his account of the Christians, who became fugitives in con- 
sequence of the persecution that raged against Stephen, and after- 
wards became general against thew hole church. In the providence 
of God, who causes "the wrath of man to praise him," this move- 
ment led to the establishment of the first Gentile church at Antioch 
in Syria, that was the mother church of the Gentile Christians. This 
dispersion occurred about A. D. 37 ; but it is not certain how soon the 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS. 1876. 173 

fugitives reached Antioch, nor how soon afterwards Barnabas was 
sent down to them. 

Travelled as far as Phenice. — This was a province of Syria, on 
the Mediterranean coast, including the great cities of Tyre, Sidon, 
and Beirut. The borders of this region had been visited by our 
Lord (Matt xv. 21). 

Cyprus. — The famous island in the Mediterranean, opposite the 
Phoenician coast, noted for its fertility, commerce, and the luxury of 
its inhabitants. Here Paul and Barnabas preached the gospel; and 
the seaports Salanus and Paphos are mentioned in Acts xiii. 5, 6. 
Many Jews settled here, and had their synagogues. Antioch, the cap- 
ital of Syria, situated on the River Orontes, was a very large and cele- 
brated city of antiquity. Many Jews settled there because of the 
civil and religious freedom granted by Seleucus its founder. Proba- 
bly the early Christians enjoyed the same freedom, and hence col- 
lected there in large numbers, and established their worship. 

Preaching the word to none but the Jews. — These Christian Jews, 
who were not yet enlightened in regard to the full object of the gos- 
pel, did not feel at liberty, at that time, to offer its blessings to the 
Gentiles. 

Vers. 20, 21. Some of them . . . spake unto the Grecians. — While 
others preached only to the Jews, private Christians, natives of the 
island of Cyprus, and of Cyrene in Africa, preached to the Grecians 
or Gentiles. This was a new feature in Christian work, that unoffi- 
cial disciples should go forth as preachers of the gospel. TVhile the 
order and stability of the Church require the divinely appointed min- 
istry, all Christians, in their several spheres, are required to be pub- 
lishers of the glad tidings of salvation. And the hand of the Lord icas 
with them ; and under the power of his Spirit many were convicted 
and converted. 

Vers. -22-24. Then tidings of these things came to the church at 
Jerusalem, which was still the mother church, and the seat and centre 
of the home and foreign missionary work. Barnabas, a layman, is 
sent to Antioch as an apostolic missionary. He was an Hellenistic 
Jew, a native of Cyprus, and was thus fitted to labor with " the men 
of Cyprus," who were already actively engaged in the work. On his 
arrival, he rejoiced to see the fruits of God's grace; and at once "he 
exhorted them all, that, with purpose of heart, they would cleave 
unto the Lord." Being a devoted Christian, and full of the gifts and 
graces of the Spirit, many " were added unto the Lord." 

Yers. 25, 26. Then departed Barnabas to seek Saul. — In chap. ix. 
27 we have an account of Barnabas introducing the converted Saul to 
the apostles in Jerusalem, and vouching for him; and now thinking 
of him as fitted to labor in this new field, because he knew that he 
was a faithful worker, and that God had commissioned him as a 
preacher of the gospel to the Gentiles^ he brings him from Tarsus to 
Antioch. Thus "he established an organic communication between 
him and this congregation of Gentile Christians, the future history of 
which promised to be so rich in events, and which converted Antioch 
into the metropolis of Gentile Christianity." For a year they labored 
together in the assemblies for public worship, and instructed the 
people. In this city of Antioch, where the Gentile church was first 
established, the disciples were first called Christians. They did not 



171 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 

assume this name, as it is used only twice in the !N"ew Testament 
heside this, and in a way to imply that it was a term of reproach 
(chap. xxvi. 28; 1 Pet. iv. 16). It could not have heen given by the 
Jews, for they would not thus have acknowledged the Messiahship of 
Jesus, by applying the term Christ, or Messiah, to the hated sect. 
The name was given by Pagans, and is historically important " as an 
evidence that at this point the Church of Christ is entering the sphere 
of general history, and that the Judsean Christians are becoming com- 
mingled with Gentile Christians as one body." 

Vers. 27, 28. In these days came prophets, — men inspired to 
declare and expound the will of God; and, in some instances, to pre- 
dict future events. They are referred to in chap. xiii. 1, xv. 32, xix. 
6. Agabus was one who predicted a great famine " throughout all 
the world." The word here rendered world is often used for a par- 
ticular country, and may here refer to Palestine or the Roman 
empire. During the reign of Claudius Caesar, which began A. D. 41, 
there were four famines. During the fourth, many persons died in 
Judsea. 

Ver. 29. Tli en the disciples determined, to send relief. — This benefi- 
cent movement showed the love of the first Gentile church towards 
the Jewish Christians, and was calculated to bind them closely 
together in fraternal affection. They gave according to their ability 
(1 Cor. xvi. 2), and may have adopted the principle practised at the 
beginning (chap. ii. 44). 

Ver. 80. And sent it to the elders. — The elders here are abruptly 
mentioned, without any statement of the mode in which they came 
into office. J. A. Alexander says, " The office of presbyter, or elder, 
was the only permanent, essential office of the Jewish church, and 
as such was retained under the new organization, without any formal 
institution, and therefore without any distinct mention in the histoiy, 
such as we find afterwards in reference to the organization of the 
Gentile churches, where the office had no previous existence, and 
must therefore be created by the act of ordination" (see chap. xiv. 
23). 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS, 1876. 



175 



LESSOX XII. — December 17. 



Peteb's Eelease. — Acts xii. 1-17. 



1. Xow about that time Herod the king 
stretched forth his hands to vex certain 
of the church. 

2. And he killed James the brother of 
John with the sword. 

3. And because he saw it pleased the 
Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter 
also. (Then were the days of unleavened 
bread.) 

4. And when he had apprehended him, 
he put him in prison, and delivered him 
to four quaternions of soldiers to keep 
him; intending after Easter to bring luui 
forth to the people. 

5. Peter therefore was kept in prison : 
but prayer was made without ceasing of 
the church unto God for him. 

6. And when Herod would have 
brought him forth, the same night Peter 
was sleeping between two soldiers, 
bound with two chains : and the keepers 
before the door kept the prison. 

7. And. behold, the angel of the Lord 
came upon him, and a light sinned in 
the prison: and he smote Peter on the 
side, and raised him up, saying. Arise 
up quickly. And his chains fell off from 
his hands. 

8. And the angel said unto him. Gird 
thyself, and hind on thy sandals : and so 
he did. And he saith unto him, Cast 
thy garment about thee, and follow me. 

9. And he went out , and followed him ; 
and wist not that it was true winch was 
done by the angel; but thought he saw 
a vision. 

10. When they were past the first and 
the second ward, they came unto the 



iron gate that leadeth unto the city; 
which opened to them of his own accord : 
and they went out, and passed on 
through one street; and forthwith the 
angel departed from liirn. 

11. And when Peter was come to him- 
self, he said, Now I know of a surety, 
that the Lord hath sent his angel, and 
hath delivered me out of the hand of 
Herod, and from all the expectation of 
the people of the Jews. 

12. And when he had considered the 
thing, he came to the house of Mary the 
mother of John, whose surname was 
Mark; where many were gathered to- 
gether praying. 

13. And as Peter knocked at the door 
of the gate, a damsel came to hearken, 
named Rhoda. 

14. And when she knew Peter's voice, 
she opened not the gate for gladness, 
but ran in, and told how Peter stood 
before the gate. 

15. And they said unto her. Thou art 
mad. But she constantly affirmed that 
it was even so. Then said they. It is his 
angel. 

16. But Peter continued knocking: 
and when they had opened the door, and 
saw him, they were astonished. 

IT. But he, beckoning unto them with 
the hand to hold then peace, declared 
unto them how the Lord had brought 
him out of the prison. And he said. Go 
show these things unto James, and to 
the brethren. And he departed, and 
went into another place. 



Veb. 1. About that time Herod the king. — That is, about the time 
that Paul aud Barnabas went to Jerusalem with the alms collected in 
Antioch (A.D. 44). Herod Agrippa, first grandson of Herod the 
Great, began the second persecution at Jerusalem. From Caligula 
lie received the tetrarchy of Philip ; afterwards obtained Galilee, Peraea, 
Samaria, and Judasa ; so that now he held the title of king of Palestine. 
Residing at Jerusalem, the Christian congregation in that city was 
exposed to his persecutions. 

Veb. 2. He killed James, — brother of John, and one of the sons 
of Zebedee, and one of the three admitted to Christ's special inti- 
macy. It is surprising that such a brief record is given of the mar- 
tyrdom of the Apostle James, while we are furnished with such full 
details of the death of Stephen. This James, too, is the only apostle 
whose death is recorded in the Scriptures. He was the first of the 
twelve who died, while John was the last. 



176 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 

Ver. 3. Because he saw it pleased the Jev:s. — From the day of 
Pentecost to the first persecution, under which Stephen wa9 killed, the 
popular feeling was in favor of the Christians. Now the tide has 
turned; and Herod moves with it. He next aims at Peter, who is 
very prominent in the work of the Church. 

Then were the days of unleavened bread, — the seven days immedi- 
ately following the paschal supper ; and so called, because the bread 
eaten during this time must be unleavened bread. 

Ver. 4. When he had apprehended him. — Among the Jews it was 
deemed unlawful to execute criminals on feast-days; and therefore 
Peter, having been seized, was imprisoned, and guarded by four qua- 
ternions. A quaternion was a company of four, that served as a 
guard for three hours, and then were succeeded by another company 
of four. Two watched at the door of the prison, and two were in the 
prison with Peter. King Herod was determined to hold his prisoner 
as securely as possible; intending after Easter, rather after the Pass- 
over, to bring him forth for execution. The word " Easter "is an eccle- 
siastical term of later days, and should not have been employed here. 

Ver. 5. Prayer was made without ceasing for him. — Not in public 
assemblies, for it was not safe to meet thus ; but in private houses, 
one of which was Mary's (ver. 12). These earnest prayers continued 
to be offered up during all the days of unleavened bread. 

Ver. 6. And when Herod would have brought him forth. — The very 
night before the king intended to execute Peter, the prisoner was 
quietly sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains. It was 
the lloman custom to chain a prisoner to a guard, fastening the right 
wrist of the prisoner to the left wrist of the soldier. In this case, 
however, the prisoner was chained to two soldiers, or a double guard, 
for greater security. For a prisoner to escape Avas death to Roman 
guards. The apostle thus sleeping affords a beautiful image of Chris- 
tian faith, that can repose on G-od in the gloom of a dungeon, and 
amid the terrors of anticipated death. 

Ver. 7. Behold, the angel of the Lord came. — What are dungeons, 
chains, quaternions indefinitely multiplied, King Herod, and the 
Roman empire, now ? The angel of the Lord changes all. He has 
come from the highest court. A light sinned in the prison. "Unto 
the upright there ariseth a light in the darkness " (Ps. cxii. 4). The 
angel smote Peter, and raised him up; and his chains fell off from his 
hands. They were not wrenched off, but slipped from his hands, 
without disturbing the guard. 

Ver. 8. Gird thyself. — Naturally bewildered by being thus sud- 
denly aroused, and seeing the strange light in the dungeon, he is 
commanded to gird on his coat, or under-garments. Bind on thy 
sandals. Cast thy garment about thee (the cloak or upper garment), a 
loose robe thrown over the shoulders. Follow me. — "In such graphic 
minuteness of detail we have a charming mark of reality ; while the 
rapidity and curtness of the orders, and the promptitude with which 
they are obeyed, betoken the despatch that was necessary." — D. 
Brown. 

Ver. 9. But thought he saw a vision. — The deliverance was so sud- 
den, unexpected, and supernatural, that Peter seemed to himself to 
be dreaming. He could not realize the divine care and love that had 
been manifested towards him. 



INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSONS, 1876. 177 

Ver. 10. JMicn they had passed the first and second ward. — "What 
a fulfilment of the promise in. Isa. xlv. 2! — "I will go before thee, 
and make the crooked places straight ; I will break in pieces the gates 
of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron." 

Vers. 11, 12. }VJien Peter was come to himself. — When he had 
time to consider and realize his situation, the truth flashed upon him, 
that the Lord had sent his angel, and delivered him. He directs his 
steps to the house of Mary, where many were gathered together, pray- 
ing. It was the earnest and persevering prayers of those Christians 
that had secured his miraculous deliverance. 

Vers. 13-15. As Peter knocked at the door of the gate. — Oriental 
houses, as at this day, had a door on the street, opening into the 
vestibule, or porch, and attended by a maid, or portress, whose duty it 
was to hearken when one knocked, to learn who was there, and obey 
the call. Rhoda the maid-servant, recognizing Peter's voice, is so 
overcome with excitement and joy, that, without stopping to open 
the door, she runs back to tell the assembled Christians that Peter is 
at the gate. She was doubtless a Christian herself; and under the 
fraternal equality that, in the primitive Church, existed between ser- 
vants and masters, she felt free to follow her religious impulses, and 
make others partakers of her joy. The Christians feared that she 
had lost her senses. But she re-affirmed that it ivas even so. Then said 
they, It is his angel, or his ghost. Some interpret the words, It is his 
guardian angel. The Jews believed that every good person had a 
guardian angel over them. 

Vers. 16, 17. But he, beckoning unto them v:ith the hand to hold 
their peace. — Peter feared that the brethren might express their 
astonishment so loudly as to expose him to danger. He therefore 
makes a sign, that they may listen in silence to an account of his 
deliverance. The James here spoken of is James the Less, the son 
of Alpheus ; the other having been recently put to death by Herod 
(ver. 2). 

And he departed and went into another place. — Whither he went is 
unknown ; and here the narrative of his labors breaks off. In chap, 
xv. he is spoken of as being at the synod in Jerusalem. There is no 
evidence that Peter ever went to Eome, but much proof to the con- 
trary. 

In the morning there was great excitement and inquiry among the 
soldiers as to what had become of Peter. Probably not having a sus- 
picion of his miraculous deliverance, and being unable to account for 
him, they were put to death (vers. 18, 19). 

This scene illustrates the power of earnest prayer, the care exer- 
cised by the heavenly Father over his children, and the utter weak- 
ness of human devices and forces when arrayed against Omnipotence. 



the exd. 



FROM 

DODD AND MEAD'S 



SUNDAY-SCHOOL ANNUAL. 



INTRODUCTORY. 



This Annual contains : 
An Article by Our Reader on Sunday School Books. 

An Article by Rev. Chas. S. Robinson, D. D., on 
Sunday-School Libraries, entitled " The Clamor about 
Books:' 

An Article by Rev. John Hall, D.D., entitled " Sab- 
bath-School Books — How to get and how to use them" 

An Article by Rev. Lyman Abbott, author of Jesus 
of Nazareth, &c, entitled " Sabbath-School Libraries:' 

An Alphabetical List of all Sunday-School Books 
published during the years 1872-73-74. 

A List of Bible Aids for Teachers — on such top- 
ics as Geography and Antiquities — Commentaries on the 
Old and New Testaments, &c. &c. &c. 

A Catalogue of Dodd & Mead's publications, inclu- 
ding their standard and miscellaneous books, juvenile an 1 
Sunday-School books, &c. 

The Catalogue of Library books has been carefully 
compiled with strict regard to accuracy and completeness, 



and includes about one thousand volumes, published ex- 
pressly for Sunday-Schools by the following societies and 
publishers : 



Congregational Sunday - School 
and Publishing Society. 

American Sunday-School Union. 

American Tract Society, New 
York. 

American Tract Society, Boston. 

Presbyterian Board of Publica- 
tion. 

Bible & Publishing Society. 

Methodist Book Concern. 

Evangelical Knowledge Society. 

Lutheran Board of Publication. 

National Temperance Society. 

Reformed Church Board of Pub- 
lication. 

Episcopal Sunday-School Union. 



R. Carter & Brothers, 

Henry Hoyt. 

J. C. Garrigues & Co. 

Alfred Martien. 

A. F. Graves. 

Kenry A. Young & Co. 

A. D. F. Randolph & Co, 

D. Lothrop & Co. 
T. Nelson & Sons. 
Perkinpine & Higgins. 

E. P. Dutton & Co. 
J. P. Skelley & Co. 

London Religious Tract Society* 
Dodd & Mead. 
Western Tract Society. 
Warren, Broughton & Wyman. 



AND BY SOME SIX OR EIGHT SMALLER HOUSES. 

While containing none but books published expressly for 
Sunday-Schools, this Catalogue is not designed to be a se- 
lected list, but only to furnish a perfect and complete re- 
cord of the current Sunday-School literature, that our 
friends, in making selections, may be assured of having a 
choice from all that can be offered. 



$ui\(lky $cl\ool I^ifefkrie^. 



Messrs. DODD & MEAD 




ji OULD announce, that they have had all of the 
books mentioned in this Catalogue read by a thor- 
oughly competent person, and an analysis of each 
book prepared, in which the following points are fully elabo- 
rated, viz.: 

The grade of the book, according to merit ; as A. B. C. D. 

The aim of the book ; as for instance, to teach perseverance 
in well-doing. 

The style in which it is written ; whether natural, simple, 
stilted, &c. 

The religious character of the story. 

Whether it is interesting or not, and why. 

An outline of the chief incidents of the story. 

And finally, the size of the book in pages. 

To give a more clear idea of what these analyses con- 
sist, four have been printed and appear on the following pages. 
' They are, of course, not for publication ; but with them as a 
guide, Messrs. Dodd & Mead claim that they are in a posi- 
tion to make a selection of books for a Sunday-School Lib- 
rary as nearly perfect as is possible. All libraries are selec- 
ted under the personal supervision of one of the members 
of the firm, and complete satisfaction is guaranteed in every 
instance. 



To thoye who prefer to make a selection for themselves 
they would say that they will furnish every facility for a per- 
sonal examination of any book desired ; that their stock is 
of the fullest and most carefully selected, and that all the 
new books are added as fast as issued. 

Accommodations will be furnished so that Superinten- 
dents or Committees can at leisure and without interruption 
examine the books, having before them the issues of all the 
Religious publishing houses in this country. 

To those who find it inconvenient to visit the city, we 
will send a selection of the latest and best books, amounting 
to considerably more than the sum to be expended, from 
which selection can be made, and the remainder returned 
at our expense. In such cases, a catalogue of books a:r.eady 
in the library, or the date of the last purchase, should be 
furnished to avoid sending duplicates. This plan meets with 
general approbation. 

The usual discounts allowed. Those whe may be 
tempted by offers of extra discounts, will do well to bear in 
mind that a small saving in amount is poor economy, when 
effected by selecting from an inferior and limited assortment. 

We offer a full assortment, selected from all sources, 
thus giving every opportunity for making the best selection 
that can be obtained. 

Correspondence invited. 

DODD & MEAD, 

(Successors to M. W. Dodd), 

762 Broadway, New York. 



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